Halloween is just around the corner and here are some spooky tips for families around Jacksonville, Florida!
Trick or Treating on Saturday?
In Duval County - most city members are calling for the city to recognize Halloween on October 30th instead of the 31st - so be prepared for trick or treaters on Saturday night, just in case! http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/mostpopular/news-article.aspx?storyid=173157&provider=top
Jacksonville Northside Communities
Jacksonville Zoo Spooktacular!
A safe and fun way to spend Halloween for the whole family and children of all ages! This celebration takes place from 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm Oct. 21st-24th and 28th-31st. Tickets are less than $10 a person and there are online coupons on the Zoo's web site. This is a great way to spend Halloween on the Northside of Jacksonville!
Zombie Nation Party at the Landing
For Grownups Only! Downtown Jacksonville is host to an amazing costume and Halloween party every year! Dress in your best and you could possibly take home $1500 in cash! If you live in a Northside Community - this is a MUST!!!
Fla/Ga Post Game Halloween Bash
http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/442466/udsentertainment/2010-10-22/halloween-costume-ball-fla-ga-post-game-party
5 Points Halloween Block Party
That's right...a huge block party! Every year, 5 points is blocked off and everyone is invited to come dressed in their best costume and get ready to boogie! Food, fun, trick or treating and costume contests make for the most fun you can have in downtown Jacksonville! http://www.5pointsjax.com/
Jacksonville Westside Communities
Family Friendly Church Events
Some Westside Churches in Jacksonville are having less spooky fall events the weekend of Halloween. If you live in a Jacksonville Westside community, you should definately check out some of these events. They are sure to be fun for the whole family! http://jaxchurchevents.com/
Roosevelt Square
Usually every year for Halloween, the shops at Roosevelt Square do something special for the little munchkins dressed in costumes. For more information, call the mall. Roosevelt Square
Jacksonville Mandarin Communities
Bojangle Boo-Berry Biscuits
Come and get your boo-berry biscuit on October 31st at the Mandarin Bojangles. If you live in a Mandarin community near Bojangles, you should definately make a trip and get one of these DELICIOUS biscuits for a limited time only!
Skull Castle
Orange Park Mall Trick or Treating
Every year, the Orange Park Mall has tons of family for everyone - including the Kidgits Club Halloween Party - make sure you check this celebration out for a good time!
Monday, October 25, 2010
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Is Your Home Ready for the Winter?
As summer draws to a close, there are two things I think of. First: Where did the summer go? Then second: Is my house ready for the cold months to come?
As a ritual, our family likes to go through a little checklist every year to get us ready for winter. Here a few tips from our family's checklist...
1. Weatherstripping and caulking: They both can be purchased at a hardware store and are pretty cheap. Not only can it help trap in the heat (instead of heating up the whole neighborhood - as my mother would say) but it keeps out those bugs that want to stay warm. We usually walk around the entire house and inspect all the window and doors very carefully.
Kid Tip: To make it interesting, make it a game! Windows are 5 points, doors are 10 points and anything else is 15 points. The players with the most points wins cash or 30 minutes past curfew or something worth their while!
2. Relieve yourself of clutter: Nothing is more cleansing than getting rid of junk. During the summer, my family and I are on the go constantly and for some reason, we end up with tons of stuff - usually that we don't really need. For one weekend (we try to plan it around rainy or extremely cold weather) we comb the entire house for things that we don't need, things we've outgrown and things we have no idea where they came from. Usually, by Sunday, we can fill up the garage by clothes and furniture and other things that we just don't use. It's usually an instant relief knowing that we have de-cluttered our lives.
Money Tip: Take all that junk and have a garage sale! We usually have a garage sale and put that money aside to help purchase Christmas presents!
3. Insulation: Just like checking for cracks and opening, having the proper insulation will help make your house warmer and you won't be "heating up the neighborhood." Let's be honest, I don't know anyone in Jacksonville that thinks our winters are mild. Jacksonville winters are cold. Period. Properly insulating your home can really make a difference on your families warmth and your heating bill!
4. Clean your fireplace: There is nothing worse than sitting by the fire, getting cozy, toasting some marshmallows then having plumes of smoke come right back out into your home. It's stinky and it stains your walls! We typically burn a cleaning block before every winter. It helps clean out any gunk that has built up from last winter. But the best solution would be to call a professional chimney sweep. There are many here in Jacksonville that can get the job done for you at reasonable prices.
5. Check the heater: Run it once or twice before it gets really cold. Not only can you run the heater with the windows open (and let that stinky, stale smell leave the house) but this will give you the opportunity to make sure that it's functioning properly. It's also a good idea to call a heating and air conditioning company that you trust. They will come out to your house and thoroughly inspect your system to ensure you won't have any issues in the bitterly cold months.
Hopefully you and your family have a similar or better checklist you run through before the winter months. If you have any tips or suggestions, please feel free to comment or send us an email.
Happy winterizing everyone!
As a ritual, our family likes to go through a little checklist every year to get us ready for winter. Here a few tips from our family's checklist...
1. Weatherstripping and caulking: They both can be purchased at a hardware store and are pretty cheap. Not only can it help trap in the heat (instead of heating up the whole neighborhood - as my mother would say) but it keeps out those bugs that want to stay warm. We usually walk around the entire house and inspect all the window and doors very carefully.
Kid Tip: To make it interesting, make it a game! Windows are 5 points, doors are 10 points and anything else is 15 points. The players with the most points wins cash or 30 minutes past curfew or something worth their while!
2. Relieve yourself of clutter: Nothing is more cleansing than getting rid of junk. During the summer, my family and I are on the go constantly and for some reason, we end up with tons of stuff - usually that we don't really need. For one weekend (we try to plan it around rainy or extremely cold weather) we comb the entire house for things that we don't need, things we've outgrown and things we have no idea where they came from. Usually, by Sunday, we can fill up the garage by clothes and furniture and other things that we just don't use. It's usually an instant relief knowing that we have de-cluttered our lives.
Money Tip: Take all that junk and have a garage sale! We usually have a garage sale and put that money aside to help purchase Christmas presents!
3. Insulation: Just like checking for cracks and opening, having the proper insulation will help make your house warmer and you won't be "heating up the neighborhood." Let's be honest, I don't know anyone in Jacksonville that thinks our winters are mild. Jacksonville winters are cold. Period. Properly insulating your home can really make a difference on your families warmth and your heating bill!
4. Clean your fireplace: There is nothing worse than sitting by the fire, getting cozy, toasting some marshmallows then having plumes of smoke come right back out into your home. It's stinky and it stains your walls! We typically burn a cleaning block before every winter. It helps clean out any gunk that has built up from last winter. But the best solution would be to call a professional chimney sweep. There are many here in Jacksonville that can get the job done for you at reasonable prices.
5. Check the heater: Run it once or twice before it gets really cold. Not only can you run the heater with the windows open (and let that stinky, stale smell leave the house) but this will give you the opportunity to make sure that it's functioning properly. It's also a good idea to call a heating and air conditioning company that you trust. They will come out to your house and thoroughly inspect your system to ensure you won't have any issues in the bitterly cold months.
Hopefully you and your family have a similar or better checklist you run through before the winter months. If you have any tips or suggestions, please feel free to comment or send us an email.
Happy winterizing everyone!
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