Free Ice Cream!!

Free Cone Day at Ben & Jerry's!!

Find your local Scoop Shop
March 23, 2010
12:00 PM to 8 PM

Salamanders

On the very first few cold, rainy nights after winter, you can find tons of different kinds of salamanders and spring peepers migrating from ponds and creeks. There are some places where they have to cross roads. We like to find them and help them across the roads...

Syracuse - Carousel Mall

We had an hour or two to kill before dinner and found our way over to the Carousel Mall. HUGE place, same kinda mall stores, but a really great carousel. You buy wooden tokens for $1 each and pop them in a little slot when it's your turn. They didn't charge for adults accompanying small kids and they didn't charge for the sleeping 1-year-old strapped to my chest! Such a nice way to spend time... we wound up riding so much, we skipped our dinner plans and hit Johnny Rockets instead...

7 more days 'til Free Ice Cream at Ben & Jerry's

One more week to Free Cone Day at Ben & Jerry's!!

Find your local Scoop Shop
March 23, 2010
12:00 PM to 8 PM

Syracuse - Beaver Lake Nature Center

We went on a little snow hike through the sugarbush at Beaver Lake Nature Center. They had 5-6 stations set up along the trail of maple trees where volunteers explained the different stages and aspects of making maple syrup. Beeeeuuuutiiiiful day!! Snowshoe rentals (even really little ones) were available.

Inside, we warmed back up, browsing through the books in the giftshop, checking out the dioramas of local animals and watching for various bird species at the observation area. Unfortunately, we skipped the pancake breakfast that was going on, but we did get to watch them flipping and stacking the hot, bubbling cakes in their BBQ-style outdoor kitchen!

Beaver Lake Nature Center

Syracuse - Museum of Science & Technology

Great way to spend a day here in Syracuse!! Lots to do for all age groups. They have a 3-story play area with air cannons, slides and tunnels, a K'nex station, a hands-on fossil dig... although most of things were geared toward older kids, there were plenty of things for the little guys. The 1-year-old slept through the IMAX and the planetarium, but the 3-year-old was enthralled by both. Free admission thanks to our local MOST membership!

Get there early with little ones because it gets pretty wild in the play area when the bigger kids arrive. Also, parking will be easier. There is a very small cafe seating area with a microwave and only a few vending machines that are astronomically expensive. More than $2.50! For a bottled drink! Insane!

MOST

Syracuse - Rosamond Gifford Zoo

This zoo was awesome! Just a bit further than the Utica Zoo and way better. We went in March, and even though the season limited the variety of creatures that were out, there were plenty of animals out and about and enough to do and see inside to fill up our day.

And they were so close! Some of the most incredible animals were just a pane of glass away!! It was so fun to be able to just spot them and see all of their details. We can't wait to go back when the weather allows for more animals to be out.

There is a nice cafe area and snackbar, single stroller, double stroller and wagon rentals, and great animal demonstrations just about every 1/2 hour

...Also, thanks to our Bronx Zoo membership, it cost $5 for us to get in... sweet!!

Rosamond Gifford Zoo

2010 St. Patrick's Day Parade

Albany's 2010 St. Patrick's Day Parade steps off tomorrow from Quail Street at 2:00 PM. We've got our lawn chairs, umbrellas, snacks, blankets and silly green "flair" ready to go!!

Free Cupcake at Coccadott's today!

From Facebook:

Coccadott's Cake Shop

Rachel is heading to Flordia for some much needed R & R....so before I go I'm going to give every single customer who says HIT THE BEACH a Palm tree, sun shining cupcake, from me to you! I'm going to miss you guys & I will update from there. Stop in & visit Matt while i'm gone!!!! xoxo

Coccadott's

1179 Central Ave.

518.438.4937

Your Local Fire Department

What toddler doesn't LOVE firetrucks?? There are two interesting things to know about your local Fire Department.

1. You can usually call the non-emergency number of your local station and ask if there might be a time that your young child could come and see some of the trucks and equipment up close. This, of course, depends on whether or not the trucks are out at a fire.

2. They might do a monthly Pancake or All-You-Can-Eat Breakfast or themed Dinner (corned beef & cabbage, etc). Ask, or try your luck finding one nearby on the Times Union Food Calendar. Kids are enthusiastically welcomed and they're usually more than willing to show 'em around the station!

Free Cupcake at Coccadott's today!

From my Facebook page:

Spring..........if you are ready for spring its a FREE CUPPYCAKE day!!!!! Come on in and say "I'm thinking spring & you will get a free lil' springy cuppycake. Lots of smiles to everyone today!!!! Have a great day! xoxo

Coccadott's