CoMo Family: Fall Festival Fun

September 30, 2011 By Leave a Comment

When you think pumpkins do you think peaches?  Me neither.  That is until I went to The Peach Tree Farm Fall Festival last year.  Now, when I think about getting a pumpkin, I will always think of Peach Tree Farm first.

Easy to find, right off of I70, a few miles west of Columbia, Missouri, The Peach Tree Farm has the perfect set-up for Fall Festival fun.  The property is beautiful, with enough acreage that even on a busy day you can remove yourself from the crowd and still find a chicken, goat or sheep to talk to.

From giant tee-pees, to numerous small animal enclosures, from the pumpkin patch to many display areas perfect for taking pictures of your kids, The Peach Tree Farm is agri-tainment at its best.

The staff is friendly and helpful and I suspect most of them are part of the family, as this is truly a family-farm.  My kids enjoyed the hayride, and I just loved the relaxed nature of the grounds.

I did think the straw maze was a bit of a disappointment.  The top is covered which makes it way too dark and scary for my toddlers and way too claustrophobic for me.

We may try some of the other pumpkin patches in our area this year, but we will also reserve a few hours to visit The Peach Tree Farm this month.

The Fall Festival is open seven days a week for the entire month of October.

 

www.thepeachfarm.com

24863 Hwy. 98, Boonville, MO 65233

660-882-8009

 

 

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CoMo Fun for all: Roller Derby in Columbia? Who Knew?!

September 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Not one, but two whistles start the Jammers speeding along the elliptical track, pushing, shoving and maneuvering their way through the Pack. Suddenly, the Lead Jammer emerges, leaving everyone in her wake, lapping, stacking up points and pleasing dedicated fans who scream encouragement from the metal bleachers.

For those of us who remember nightly TV ending with the playing of  the Star-Spangled Banner, this might sound familiar. For the younger set, it’s called Roller Derby. And  it’s making a comeback here in Mid-Missouri through our hometown league, the Como Derby Dames.

If you check out the Dame’s website you’ll see some pretty tough cookies, with roster names like Deth Block and Slamrock. But attend an event and you’ll find their philosophy of positive conduct (aside from the necessary crowd-pleasing rough and tumble competition) holds true. Additionally, their mission “…to support female empowerment through the structure of this alternative sport” is just as apparent in the strength and agility of the team players.

The September intra-league bout, featuring  the Con Vixens versus the Violent Phlegmmes, certainly proved this sport can fire up both teams and fans. About 200 spectators were in attendance.

Along with the bout, refreshments like $3 mozzarella sticks, were readily available (along with wings, corn dogs and a variety of soft drinks).

A table full of Roller Derby gear and gifts, everything from t-shirts to guide books were for sale.

 

And for a buck (or more) you could enter the halftime raffle for cash and prizes!

 

 

Of course, for those who want to experience Roller Derby first hand, the league is always on the lookout for fresh meat (new recruits). You have to be female and at least 18 years old. Additional requirements include: comfortable workout clothing,  a small fee, an insatiable need for speed, a boilable mouth-guard (good idea), a sense of humor and a unique derby name (essential).

If you want to be a part of this fast-paced sport, but are not crazy about bruising, men and women can help ref, set up, cheer-lead and take stats.

Mid-Missouri Roller Derby is held at the Boone County Fairgrounds, but they will be changing their venue in the future. Consult their website for more information.

The  next bout will be Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011, followed by another on Saturday, Dec. 3. 7pm start times.

Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door and kids under 12 get in free. Advance tickets can be picked up from Maude Vintage (The District), from a Derby girl or online at Brown Paper Tickets.

Come for the speed, the costumes (extremely creative) and the fierce competition. Overall, great fun for all ages.

 

 

Filed Under: CoMo Family, CoMo Sports, What's Going On in CoMo Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

CoMo Family: Flipz USA Fun Days

September 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Most mornings I wake up with two clear goals in mind:  1) make it to bedtime with both kids fully intact and 2) do whatever it takes to make sure they are authentically tired when their heads hit the pillows.  I am ashamed to say it took me more than a year to discover Flipz, a Columbia, Missouri location that caters to mothers who share my goals.

On a normal day Flipz appears to be a high-end gymnastics facility – the kind that might call itself an academy.  But on most Friday mornings (occasionally on Thursdays and sometimes in the evenings) they let the amateurs take over.  (They update their website regularly, so you always know when a Fun Day or Fun Night is scheduled.)

Flipz Fun Days are seriously, seriously fun.  The entire gym is open with no restrictions.  The responsibility lies with parents to help their children make good choices and, boy, are there a lot of choices.  From balance beams and parallel bars to trampolines and rope swings, all kids can find something to love.

The gym is large enough that it truly can absorb dozens and dozens of children, so don’t let a packed parking lot make you nervous.   My children and I always find a space to explore and some equipment to climb, jump or swing on without feeling crowded.

I love watching my kids create new games for themselves or master new skills while burning a ton of energy.  I love throwing them through the air and watching the expressions on their faces, the perfect mix of thrill, fear and delight as they fly into the giant foam pit.

It seems that most parents, including me, allow their children free-range while they are in the gym.  In general, this works out surprisingly well.  However, on occasion, things seem a little more dangerous or chaotic than even I am comfortable with.  Usually this is just a result of older kids (in the 5 to 8 year range) not recognizing their need to tone it down a bit around the toddlers and pre-schoolers.  Ultimately this is the parents’ responsibility and if I am there, I am quick with a dirty look or even a direct confrontation. (Yes, I am THAT mother.)  So please, if you really just want to chat with your friends and not pay attention to your kids, head to your local park, or stay in your own backyard.  The things that make Flipz awesome also require that parents are fairly vigilant.

Now that I have made my plea for better parenting, I must insist that all responsible parents check out Flipz.  Your kids will love you for it.

And if by chance you see my kids there and they are misbehaving, feel free to confront me. In all likelihood you will find me stuck in the giant foam pit and you will have to help me out before you can give me a dirty look.

Flipz USA, 900 Hillsdale Rd., Columbia, MO 65201

573-474-6300

www.flipzusa.com

Fun Days are $5 per hour, or $8 for a full two hours.  All kids younger than 6 are welcome, no charge for kids that are not yet walking. 

Fun Nights include childcare and cost $15.  Fun Nights are open to kids 4 and older.

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CoMo Family: Pre-Owned Everything – Environmentally Conscious and Thrifty

September 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Before my daughter was born I was overwhelmed by the amount of baby equipment available.  The more marketing materials I read the more I knew if I didn’t buy each and every baby item made then I clearly didn’t love my child (and there was no chance she would ever get into a good college.)  The sheer volume of specialty items, not to mention all of the cute, cute, cute clothes, appealed to the potential shopper in me.

On the other hand, I was well aware that the stages of babyhood pass very quickly and most items are only used for a few months, or years, at best.  I was also concerned about the ecological impact of all the goods I so wanted to buy for my precious children.  In an effort to curb my desire to BUY, to live within our means and to do the least amount of damage to the environment, I made a couple rules for myself.  If I buy anything new it must seriously be on sale.  And, I don’t buy any children’s plastic products new.  Sure I make exceptions to these rules.  In fact, I make exceptions all the time. But calling them rules helps me remember the goals I am trying to stick to.

One of my favorite thrift-shop finds, ever. And it isn't even plastic.

That being said, I would never want to “deprive” myself my children.  So I have honed my second-hand shopping skills.  Combing the racks at thrift-shops and garage sales turned into excellent mother-daughter bonding time.  I keep a running list of items we want need and watch for them.  These shopping habits take more time and require room for storing great finds that are simply not-yet age appropriate.  For us, these problems are surmountable and the self-righteous feeling savings are completely worth the trouble .

However, I know that not everybody is as cheap ecologically minded as me.  And a tight time-line can send any mother running into a big box store to buy what she needs NOW.  Also, lots of garage sales and thrift-shops are a little, well, gross.  The antidote is consignment shopping in an organized environment.

Fortunately, Columbia, Missouri is home to The Children’s Orchard.  A children’s consignment store that’s open year round and located near the intersection of Providence and Nifong.

While I have shopped there, I also like the thrill of the hunt.  Next weekend presents another opportunity that may appeal to “hunters” like me and more discerning shoppers.  On Friday, September 16 and Saturday, September 17 there will be a large consignment sale at the Capital Event Center in Jefferson City.  Managed by Kids Closet, this sale looks like it could be the best of all worlds;  lightly used goods in an organized environment with the thrill of the temporary sale.

For full disclosure, I admit I have not attended a Kids Closet Consignment sale before.  So I am not making any promises.  If you go and hate it, don’t blame me please leave me a comment and tell me why.  If you go and love it, I am happy to take the credit.

For those of you interested in consigning items, you can still participate right up to the day of the sale.  To find out how, check out their website.

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