The Crunchy Boutique: The Newest Arlington Hot Spot for Moms & Tots!

I searched high and low when I first had kids to find parenting resources in the Arlington area.

I discovered lots of great mommy groups and mommy workouts, but I really struggled to find a place to go for natural parenting. Although cloth diapering was never my thing, I nursed my babies, co-slept, baby-wore and tried to use safer baby bath products.

So you can most certainly color me envious that The Crunchy Boutique is open here in Arlington and was everything I looked high and low for... Now that my kids are 3, 5 and 7!

Nestled in a quiet business center at the intersection of Davis and Randol Mill in North Central Arlington, The Crunchy Boutique is most certainly a must-visit for all mamas and mamas-to-be in the area. Complete with all the resources you need to successfully breastfeed, cloth diaper, baby wear and so on, The Crunchy Boutique is the local business to support your motherhood journey.

My youngest and I dropped by yesterday to see the space and were seriously impressed. The store had a small table set up near the front with magnetic blocks for her to build with while I explored the space. And the space is incredible- open, warm and so inviting.

The store has all kinds of cloth diapers and all the accessories you might need to be a successful cloth diaper-er. There are baby carriers of all kinds (including the much-desired mesh baby wraps I loved with my third baby because I could wear it in the water), a variety of natural teeters, toys, clothes, nursing accessories and so much more. Truly, if you need something to accessorize your natural-parenting lifestyle, shop here! Support local! Help this awesome business thrive!

Beyond just a place to shop, The Crunchy Boutique is truly a resource the Arlington area should be proud of. The shop includes a large, open room for classes and meet ups and a full calendar for July hosting mixers and informative sessions. From birth planning classes to baby play time to Rock Your VBAC (man I wish I could have attended this years ago!), The Crunchy Boutique offers classes to all area moms in all stages of motherhood.

I simply could not be more impressed with this store and its offerings. Seriously, guys... Log out of Amazon. Put down your one-click shopping lists. Get off of Facebook. Check out the July calendar, shop local and support this awesome business- because this is the kind of business Arlington needs and should be proud to support!

Find more info on the boutique here: crunchyboutique.net

Pearachute Kids: A way to explore the Metroplex!

When I first joined Pearachute, I loved the concept.

Because if I’m honest, my kids are typical, well, kids.

They love ballet for two weeks and then decide they’d rather be ninja warriors. By the time I finish signing up for karate classes (and selling off all the ballet garb!), they’ve decided to become rockstars and begin begging for guitars and karaoke machines.

So Pearachute offered us the opportunity to pursue ALL their passions, no matter how frequently those passions change! They could be ballerinas and black belts and Olympic swimmers- and then next week we could find something new!

Once I discovered Pearachute enabled my kids to be explorers, I then discovered how truly vast the Metroplex actually is. I’m fantastic at navigating my own little neck of the DFW woods, but I found that there are so many amazing classes if I was willing to drive just a little further than normal.

And so, to maximize my Pearachute membership, I started making “field trips” all over town, stacking classes and open play times together, and mapping out fantastic lunch spots in between! This has allowed my adventurous girls and me the opportunity to pop into classes we didn’t know existed, play in open play spaces that were otherwise “too far to drive” and expand their horizons beyond the comfort of our own backyard.

For example, we recently did a weekday in North Dallas/Plano. We started with a morning class at Kid’s Garden Club, where the girls got to shake and groove to lots of of-the-minute songs while listening to stories or shaking instruments. We then stopped off for a lunch at a nearby McDonald’s with a playscape we hadn’t played in before! Then we headed off to open swim at Aquafit in Plano, where the girls got to glide like fishes through the water and play with toys provided. Lastly we headed over to Jump Mania in Plano, where the girls were able to run and play and bounce out all their late-afternoon energy and I was able to sit and relax with free Wifi and a cup of coffee. It was a wonderful day filled with new-to-them activities, most of which I wouldn’t have known about without Pearachute!

Last week we did a day in the Southlake area and experienced some of the offerings there. We started with open play at Small World, Big Imagination, an incredible play space that allows my girls to create and dream and play. They crafted at the creation spot and fished from the play canoe and put on a puppet show at the theater. When we finished there, we headed to Central Market, where the girls got their pick of yummy food and got to play with other kiddos on the outdoor playspace. From there we headed to Sweet and Sassy, where the girls got their hair cut and styled in a fun way. They loved watching Moana as the hair stylists braided their hair into gorgeous plaits and then topped off their visit with suckers. Lastly, we rounded out our day with more open play time at Peek N Play in Grapevine. We built a Lego castle, played with their large foam blocks and then the girls played in the ball pit while I sat down in the “mommy area” with coffee and my email!

In the Fort Worth area, we are mapping out a day that includes a soccer lesson at Game On and then open play at The Happy Lark. On the south side of town, we are planning a day where the girls attend a dance class at A Persons Legacy of Dance in Pantego and then check out a tumbling class at The Little Gym of Arlington/Mansfield. There is always a nearby McDonald’s or Central Market- or a splash pad to visit (check out Don Misenheimer in Arlington after you visit Little Gym in Mansfield or Dove Park in Grapevine after you hit up Peek N Play!), if you want to pack a sack lunch.

Pearachute has so many amazing classes… Get out there! Explore! Experience! Enjoy!

Get your first month on www.pearachutekids.com for $1 (3 class pass) with code StephanieJ2017

25 Ways To Have Cheap Summer Fun in the Arlington Area!

It is this time every year that I start to hyperventilate about Summer.

Don't get me wrong... I'm beyond excited for sleeping in, lazy mornings, late nights, all of it, really, but I also panic a bit when I start to think up ways to fill our days without breaking the bank.

Luckily, we live in an awesome area that has tons of fun things to do all summer long!

Here is a list of 25 ways to have Summer fun for $10 or less in the Arlington area...

1. Hit up a splash pad! Pack a sack lunch, some sunscreen and an old cup or two (because my daughters always beg for cups once we get there, to fill up with water and dump on unsuspecting splash pad-goers) and hit the splash pad. Don't forget a blanket to sit on! Our favorites are Don Misenheimer Splash Pad (201 Lonesome Dove Trail) in Arlington and Sonora Park Splash Pad (203 S. New Hope Rd.) in Kennedale.

2. Check out a $1 movie at Studio Movie Grill! A new movie will play each week all summer long- and you and your kiddo can get in for $1 each! (Don't forget to raid the piggy bank for popcorn money...) Check out the schedule here: https://www.studiomoviegrill.com/Movie/Film-Series/Childrens-Summer-Series

3. Head to Peter Piper Pizza (4800 S. Cooper St., Arlington) for $5.99 Summer Fun Days Tuesday starting mid-June from 11 am- 1 pm. Kids can enjoy two slices of pizza and a craft, as well as burn off some energy on their indoor play structure! Each week will have a different theme.

4. If your kiddo is dying to get creative this summer, Michael's has a fantastic program called Camp Creativity! Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, kiddos can make a different craft (each week has a new theme) for $5. This program is best for kiddos ages about 5 and up. Michael's has two Arlington locations as well as a Mansfield location.

5. Check out the library programs! Arlington Public Library has some AH-mazing summer offerings! From baby yoga to magic shows and Lego builds, the library has something for everyone! Check out the schedule here: morelibrary.org

6. Get your kiddo moving at Pump It Up (1120 Eden Rd., Arlington ). For $8, kiddos can jump at daily open jump times. Kids younger than one are only $5. Bring a water bottle and some goldfish and let your kiddo get to jumping! Free Wifi for parents, too! Head to pumpitupparty.com for their open jump times.

7. Speaking of jumping... Kids under 42" are only $6 during open jump times at Flight Deck Trampoline Park (1600 W. Interstate 20, Arlington). And toddler jump is Monday-Friday from 10 am until 12 pm, where kids ages 6 and younger are only $8 to jump. Get those kiddos active and let them have air-conditioned fun!

8. Have you registered at Kidsbowlfree.com? Sign up on the site and your kiddos can play two free games every day all summer long! Head over to Alley Cats (2008 W Pleasant Ridge Rd., Arlington) and play your free games! You can play, too, for a fee. You will need to rent shoes for about $5. Or, if you think you'll bowl every day, you might check Amazon for some inexpensive shoes that will save you the regular rental fees!

9. Head over to Barnes and Noble at the Parks at Arlington for story times and special events all summer long! They have storytime every Tuesday and Saturday, as well as special events (including this Tuesday, June 6, when River Legacy Science Center teams up with B&N for a great, hands-on event). Check their website (https://stores.barnesandnoble.com/store/2342) for dates and times.

10. Two-For-One Tuesdays are back at Arlington-area pools! Head to Howard Moore Play Pool (my favorite for the 5 and under set!)(1919 Bever Blvd.) for $3.50 admission for you and your kiddo! Other pools where you can get in for less than $10 for two people on Tuesday include Allen Bolden, Randol Mill, Helen Wessler, BK and Woodland West. For more info:  https://naturallyfun.org/aquatics-events#special-promotions

11. Check out a movie with the family at Levitt Pavilion (100 W. Abram St.) in Arlington! On Wednesdays in June, the Levitt will show new popular kids movies starting at 8 pm. Pack your cooler or grab dinner from a food truck! Pack a blanket and some lawn chairs and enjoy yourself! They have lots of free concerts all summer long, too! Check out the calendar here:  http://levittpavilionarlington.org/events/

12. Catch a monthly movie with your little in Mansfield for $1 a person! The Farr Best Theater (109 N. Main St., Mansfield) will feature movies June 20, July 18 and August 8 at 1 pm. Check out the schedule here: https://www.visitmansfieldtexas.com/events

13. Take a stroll through downtown Mansfield during Third Thursday events, which happen from 5 to 8 pm on the third Thursday of the month. Enjoy crafts and activities, shopping specials at the local stores and lots of hometown fun! Check out their FB page for monthly updates: https://www.facebook.com/ThirdThursdaysMansfield/

14. Check out all the awesome play times and activities at Sock Monkey Junction, Mansfield's awesome hometown toy store. The store, located at 316 S. Main St. in Mansfield, has multiple play dates every week at various times. You can make your own slime, play board games and so much more! Check out their FB page for the full schedule: facebook.com/sockmonkeyjunction/

15. This one isn't quite Arlington, but it's free and fun and worth the drive to Fort Worth! Every Wednesday starting June 7th, the Amon Carter Museum (3501 W. Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth) hosts a free story time from 10:30 am until 12 pm for the 8 and under set. Hear a story, check out some art and participate in a craft. Learn more here: http://www.cartermuseum.org/calendar

16. Find the 20 stars that have been scattered throughout Arlington! Get to know this awesome city by going on a star scavenger hunt throughout the city looking for the stars sponsored by the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation and Women Inspiring Philanthropy. Learn more here:  http://arlingtonmuseum.org/stars/

17. Check out Joe Pool Lake! They have a small beach for playing and swimming, and they are showing movies at the beach all summer long! Each vehicle with up to 6 people is $10. Movies are select Saturdays all summer long and free with park admittance. Address, movie schedule and more here: https://www.gptx.org/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/26967/15

18. Every other Wednesday at 10a (the next date is June 14), the Chick Fil A at Camp Wisdom and 360 in Grand Prairie hosts a fantastic story time! Sing, dance, listen to a book (or two), receive a free snack and a goody bag... And have fun! This is best for the 5 and under set. And it's FREE!

19. This one also isn't in Arlington- but it's only seasonal and so worth the drive! Fritz Petting Farm in Irving is free and open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm and Sunday from 2 pm to 6 pm. Let your littles get up close and personal with all sorts of awesome animals. Open during June and July only. Check out more details here: http://cityofirving.org/Facilities/Facility/Details/Fritz-Park-Petting-Farm-38

20. Get building on Saturdays with the kids at Home Depot. The first Saturday of the month (the next event is Saturday, July 1), kids can build a pre-selected craft in store, and receive a certificate of completion, pin and apron at any of the area locations (there are two Home Depots in Arlington, as well as one at Eastchase and 30 in Fort Worth, one in Grand Prairie and one in Mansfield). Activities are free. Learn more here: http://www.homedepot.com/workshops/#store/0541

21. Stroller Skate with your tot at the Arlington Skatium ( 5515 S. Cooper St.) on the first Friday of every month. $4 gets caregiver plus one kiddo in to skate- and strollers are allowed on the rink! Stroller Skate is 10 am until 12 pm.

22. Snag a Pearachute Kids membership for $1 for your first month! Get 3 classes for $1, and drop into classes such as golf, dance, soccer and so much more in Arlington and Mansfield. Sign up here and use code StephanieJ2017 to get your first month for $1: www.pearachutekids.com

23. Chill out with a snow cone! Annie's Freeze Shaved Ice has our favorite sweet summer treats... And you can treat the whole family for less than $10! Annie's is located at 2382 W. Park Row Drive in Pantego.

24. Learn about nature at the River Legacy Science Center in north Arlington (703 NW Green Oaks Blvd.) with interactive environmental exhibits, aquariums and a gift shop! If the temperature outside isn't too hot, explore the trails and head to the park playground for a picnic lunch! The center is open 9 to 5 Monday through Saturday. Learn more here: https://riverlegacy.org/river-legacy-living-science-center

25. Check out the play area and toys at the Southeast Branch of the Arlington Public Library. Geared toward kiddos 3 and younger, interactive play toys and age-appropriate activities await kiddos at this library branch! 900 SE Green Oaks Blvd., Arlington.

Follow my page to stay up to date on fun Arlington on-goings this summer!
Know of an activity I missed?! Email me here: everythingarlingtontx@gmail.com