katjamiles

Yay for 33! March started out with a nice outing of all my favorite shops and oodles oodles of chocolate in all its forms (starting at IHOP with chocolatechip pancakes and ending with home cooked brownies with fudge icecream in between)! We almost found out what the hype was with Ducks geille and bar. Don't let the name fool you (although looking it, the spelling of grill and that fact that it has Duck in the name could clue you in) it is a shmancy fancy place! Wooden privacy booths with chandeliers and glass stained panels. The tables have soft lighting to match the soft atmosphere and the prices to match all that elegance. As we tend to eat early, the place didn't seem that busy, though the seting of the 2 rooms of dining looked like it could be very crowded when it was full without actually looking crowded. That night they even offered a chance to play trivia (which I thought interesting with the more softer environment). To no one's surprise, the screaming, screeching active toddler that is my child was very quickly bribed with a quieter screen time kids youtube tv app! The food was pretty good too. In line with its pricing, the portions were NOT the typical over sized portion but a smaller more manageable size-and even sliced and diced- that were just enough to fill us up but not enough to have leftovers, even when sharing between 3. Best of all, I got to spend the end of the day with a good book. Woot woot!

Sadly the kid's got some sort of respiratory virus (so says google) right now. Finger's crossed, she peeks up by the time the in laws show up for the st patty birthday my husband has (every body gets to celebrate his birthday around the world, no fair, haha 😉)

When we first arrived, I found in Jacksonville, three different indoor play areas that are/were reasonably priced. Sweet P's playhouse (an indoor playhouse that allowed them to rest and read, create the arts, (art supplies, puppets, theater/playhouse play-sets) and an indoor playground set full of climbing, sliding, ball pit, vehicle zooming fun. Jumping Jax (an indoor bounce house that was mainly for smaller children); and Megaplay, a mega version of Jumping Jax that has several different bounce structures for kids of all ages (and their adults), snack bar, lounge seating and arcade game options. It's (well, they all were) a pay once and stay all day family fun adventure. All of them also had fun events and activities for groups and parties.They offer group and military discounts. Parties include a variety of options depending the size/price but not excluding time frames, invites, party hats/favors, and food/drinks.

Sadly due to various reasons, Megaplay beat them all out and is the only one still standing. Due to my child's age and development, Megaplay can only keep her attention for so long, (to be honest, she lasted longer at the Sweet P's). However, she does enjoys throwing the soft plastic balls from the ball pit, sliding down both the bounce slides and the extra long plastic tube-like slides attached to the enclosed jungle-gyms, and playing with all the pieces attached! Woot for the Megaplay Luna adventures!!!

So this was the second natural disaster I have had the pleasure of being directly a part of. The first one being a flood that screwed us out of house and home at the end of our stay in FL (Pensacola, April, 2013). That one traumatized our dogs of water forever since! This one (the hurricane) started at a CAT 5 which meant we were NOT going to stay. We visited Atlanta GA while it came and went. Luckily it ended up hitting land at a CAT 1 (which was still devastating but less so). Our house was a lucky one in which the only thing wrong was two clumps of uprooted trees. Two months later you can still see the damage in areas: debris in water & land, closed and broken buildings, & public/private areas. I find myself amazed at the cost and effect of these phenomenon: jobs, housing, entertainment, and the appreciation of what we will and can do in these situations pre, during, and after: search and rescue, community support/outreach, relief funds & donations, ect. I wish all good health, safety and happiness in such circumstances (and in all others)!

I was impressed with it. It is located in a rural area (Richlands area) surrounded by a county neighborhood but it had a lot more space and animals then I was expecting. While it was mostly farm animals-and not necessarily american farms- (steer, sheep, goats, fowl, a miniature horse, bunnies, etc) they also had fun ones like: a fox, zebras, bobcat, owls, raccoon, tortoise/turtles, rodents, and a giant african porcupine! Luna loved feeding the pigmy goats and petting the animals they brought out for educating purposes (snakes, *shudders*). The zoo offers lovely scenery to look at while sitting and relaxing at the picnic tables by the pond. I saw no snack shack, though-unless it was with the ticket office in the front. As it is considered a smaller zoo, it is CASH ONLY and they do not have their own ATM at hand. A worthy note to remember is that they offer porta potties rather than an indoor outhouse. I have a thing for taking pictures of the zoo animals at every place we settle in, so I was mighty happy to go! I hope you all enjoy it when visiting! yay!

My other half was gone for a week which means I had to do all the driving...I have learned lots. One: there may be places that have good drivers out there but no one cares much and they are all out for themselves...two: someone somewhere needs to figure out a way to light the way WITHOUT blinding anyone...three: perception and timing (and obviously being aware) is everything...four: horns are awesome (especially if you can use it while on the go...) and five: I am unsure how anyone can be comfortable doing other things besides driving WHILE driving...

Halloween 2018...Luna adventures! This year she still wasn't all that excited about the concept (last year as Belle, she also prefered to just hang out). She enjoyed some chocolate and had fun (sometimes) with putting on her costume (stitch) but other then that...it was more of a free for all when it came to do anything. This year we tried going to a trick or treat event behind the navel medical center...the only way we got her going was the word...POPCORN ("DADNA, MAMA, HELP POPCORN!"). Heehee. The small event was cram packed with families of all ages. It boasted two "paths" of halloween fun-one little kid friendly, full of lights and activities to do, and another non little kid friendly, full of horror (and lets just be thankful I didn't have to go in that one, shall we). As the lines were long, long, long, and my family did perfect impressions of scenes from the Stitch movie; we didn't stay for anything but the popcorn and hot apple cider. However, my little stitch had great fun running around with and without other kids while there! I wonder what will happen next year!?!

Kerr Street Park looks like a fun little park. it not only has a green space for sports (ball and raquet) but also a full set playground with swings for all ages as well spring loaded play sets one can sit in and rock on. This park has a recreation center attached and a marina for coastal fishing. We didn't spend much time there as we had the wrong licence for the water but from all the "wows," my child was mighty impressed!

While the Sturgeon City park has no restrooms I can see and no swing set for the playground, it DOES have lots of green space to roam along with winding meandering paths, a waterfront for fishing and 2 shady pavilions very close to its slide-full playground. It also looks like it is one of Jacksonville's more well taken care of parks and is nestled between neighborhoods on all sides.

The pizza place we love has a park near it! Monster Pizza & Cafe has...you guessed it, PIZZA! It also has a collection of coffee flavors (I tried the raspberry chocolate bean and it was delicious), a soft drink fountain, snack bar items (such as a variety of sandwiches and salads, foot long subs and wraps, wings and chicken bites, pasta, stromboli/calzones, appetizers, and deserts). The cozy inside seating area is diner-esqe in style with 2 large screen tvs for one's viewing pleasure. It also has an outdoor patio seating area that looks to the new river body of water. It also seems to house herbs and pretty looking plants. The place itself is set on a corner of land that is the end of a long line of various commercial businesses and one end of the new river bridge.

The park we found is known as the Phillips Park. It runs along side the adjoining river so there is a place to fish (we have seen many wildlife gather there). The playground seems to be one of the bigger areas I have noticed. It has a play area that contains fun slides of different sizes and styles (tall, short, wide, tunneled) that connect via steps, ramps and bridges. It has a seperate area for swings, as well as spring loaded rockers (they are usually shaped like an animal or object you you ride on top of/inside of that rocks back and forth due to the large spring it sits upon), a wooden ladder rung and a upright cement barrel that seems to be a perfect hiding spot! The fun feature this park holds are the wide and colorful cement tunnels (I think there is 7) that my 2 year old just loves to run through. Some of them have perches dividing them in half so one could use it to lay/sit in. Farther down yonder, I have seen a baseball field, bathrooms and water fountains. This is also a neighborhood park so be wary that pieces (like the drinking fountains) may not work. I was also told that the place smelled strongly of urine...

We discovered another neighborhood park today while we were trying to find a trail/path to wander. Wilson Bay Park is a very pretty lakeside playground area. It houses a playground geared towards kids that aren't quite so little (though my 2 year old did enjoy it and it does have toddler swings) as well as a path and dock out towards the water. If it was closer, and I didn't have my very own super close neighborhood park area, I could see myself lazying about with a book and such while my child explores its playground. This lakeside isn't only for our viewing pleasure, it also allows fishing!
Ideas that I could see be added into its design are: a walking/running path around the body of water and possibly find a way to use it as a swimming hole, too!

Speaking of my very own super close neighborhood park, we found a tiny nature trail running through ours! It stared (or ended, depending on where you came from) by our very own body of water through a wood path that protects our feet from the wildlife and marsh land it runs on. It also houses a baseball field, Frisbee Golf and a playground (and soon to be splash pad). I am very excited about the splash pad as I've noticed this place is HUMID and HOT during this time of year. I have noticed lots of water bodies, however, not so many other aquatic activities...although I haven't been here long so we have lots of more exploring to do.

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katjamiles

June 2020

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Entries tagged with jacksonville nc

Beginning of the month clebrations!

PLAAAAAAAAAAY TIIIIIIME!!!!!

Hurricane Florence (Sept 2018)

LYNWOOD ZOO

Driving Adventures

Halloween 2018

Kerr Street park

Sturgeon City Park

Monster Pizza and Phillips Park

Jacksonville neighborhood parks