Wednesday, July 31, 2013

The Carousel at Prospect Park




Enjoy FREE carousel rides Thursdays in August 2013
for children 12 years old and younger
12pm-6pm
 
This amazingly ornate carousel was carved by renown designer, Charles Carmel in 1912.  Restored by the Prospect Park Alliance in 1990, The Carousel, located in Prospect Park’s, “Children’s Corner,” celebrates 101 years of splendor.  Not only does The Carousel personify the glory of wildlife with 51 carved horses, a giraffe, a lion, a deer and two dragon pulled chariots, but it is one of few in the world that is wheelchair accessible.  Create beautiful family memories, Thursdays in August 2013 with FREE rides on one of Brooklyn’s most beautiful attractions. Enter Prospect Park at Flatbush Avenue and Empire Blvd.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

The MUSE: An Open Mic Poetry & Live Music Series



Abundant Life Church, pastored by Rev. Karim Camara presents The MUSE.  This open mic poetry and live music series coordinated by  poet and orator, Gloria J. Grace is sure to be a family fun night out every 1st Thursday of the month, starting August 1, 2013 at 6pm.  Gloria’s own six year old poetess, Laila may take the mic as all are welcome to share their words, thoughts and songs with the audience.  Encourage our little legacies to share their voice in this beautiful experience.

The MUSE will be held at The Hope Empowerment Center at 650 Washington Ave. (bet. Bergen & Dean Streets) Brooklyn, NY 11238.  Doors open at 6:00pm.  If you would like to perform, come early to get on the list! Admission $7

Friday, July 26, 2013

Habana Outpost Brooklyn - FREE Weekend Kid's Corner


Check out this fabulous fun schedule for Habana Outpost’s Brooklyn FREE weekend Kid’s Corner.  Hang out with the children, while you meet up with friends.  Saturdays and Sundays from 11am-3pm in the courtyard - FREE & FUN arts and crafts.

Habana Outpost Brooklyn 757 Fulton Street Brooklyn, NY
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Thursday, July 25, 2013

Throwback Thursday: Pogo Ball

 
 
Throwback Thursday
Remember this...
 
 
Shout out if you had a Pogo Ball back in the day!

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

i play. Sun Hats



It took a while coming, but summer is definitely here.  This heat wave is record breaking and the sun is super intense.  Although wearing a hat seems unbearable, it is important to keep baby’s head protected from the sun.  i play.  makes an adorable selection of wide brimmed sun hats with UV- protective fabric.  The hats tie under the chin to keep babies from taking them off and to keep toddlers from losing them.  For my Brooklyn readers, we purchased a few styles for our little one from Play Kids, a family owned toy store in Lefferts Gardens.  Check out i play. for more information and the full selection of products.
 
 
 

I play. sun hats for newborns

 

Wide brimmed i play. sun hats for toddlers



 
 
 


Thursday, July 18, 2013

Family Fridays in Crown Heights, Brooklyn




Feed your family freshness!



Thanks to Seeds in the Middle, a non-profit organization, “inspiring social change through sustainable health,” Crown Heights has acquired a new farmer’s market.

Every Friday, through November 15, 2013 1-7pm
Farmer Roy’s Farmers Market
@ Brower Park (St. Mark’s Place, Park Place between Brooklyn Ave and Kingston Ave.)
EBT/SNAP, FMNP, WIC $2 Health Bucks when you spend $5

Take your family next to the park for an evening of fun!

 

 

The Brooklyn Children’s Museum hosts:
Free Friday Family Jam
this and every Friday, July 19, 2013 through August 16, 2013


 
 
 

(July 19, 26 and August 2, 9, 16)
145 Brooklyn Avenue @ St. Mark’s Place 11213
FREE admission for all from 4-7pm



Families will experience 5 action packed Fridays with Brooklyn hottest teen DJ sensation, Abbrielle Johnson, a.k.a. DJ Kakez (106 and Park and Black Girls Rock) spinning hits for all ages.

 

Monday, July 15, 2013

Trayvon Martin Moment: Power in Prayer!




The verdict of the Trayvon Martin Case is a tragic display of the adversity we continue to confront.  Let’s not be paralyzed by our pain.  Let’s look forward to Wednesday, July 17, 2013 for a midweek moment of prayer.  At 6:00 pm wherever you are- with family, friends, co-workers, colleagues and everyone in between pray to God to bring forth healing from our hurt and harness our collective power to responsibly affect change.  We have the power to create our legacies and the duty to protect and preserve them!


“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
II Timothy 1:7


Trayvon Martin Moment: Power in Prayer
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
@ 6:00pm
Wherever you are with whomever you are!
Collective prayer for healing and direction on how to responsibly use our power to affect change.
 



Friday, July 12, 2013

Storyteller at Prospect Park: Tammy Hall

Tammy Hall at the Lefferts Historic House in Prospect Park

Tammy Hall, master of folk art and folklore made her summer debut last weekend at Prospect Park.  A former New York City school teacher, Tammy is passionate about teaching literacy to children and adults. The dynamic storyteller native to Clarksville, Tennessee quilts colorful tales reflecting her rich African American and Native American history.


Tammy Hall embraced her gift for storytelling while embarking on the journey of motherhood.  Tammy celebrates her legacy in her beautiful and talented daughter who recently graduated high school and will be majoring in theatre at Adelphi University in the fall.

This summer bring your family to hear Tammy Hall enthuse and entertain children at the Imagination Playground on Saturdays, July 6 - August 31, 2013 from 2-3pm.  Tammy brings the history of Flatbush Brooklyn to life at the Lefferts Historic House on Sundays, July 7-30, 2013 at 2 & 3pm. 

 
@ Prospect Park
Imagination Playground
Saturdays, July 6 – August 31, 2013
2 – 3 p.m.

History In Your Hands
@ Prospect Park

Lefferts Historic House
Sundays, July 7 – 30, 2013
2 & 3 p.m.
 $3suggested donation
 

 

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Reading Rainbow

Throwback Thursday

Remember this...




Butterfly in the sky, I can go twice as high
Take a look, it's in a book -
Reading Rainbow.

I can go anywhere!
Friends to know and ways to grow - Reading Rainbow.

I can be anything!
Take a look, it's in a book - Reading Rainbow.

Reading Rainbow, Reading Rainbow, Reading Rainbow, Reading Rainbow!
 

I find myself singing this song to my son often because it has an indelible imprint in my memory.  I scoured PBS searching for Reading Rainbow hoping to give young Sage a glimpse of the excitement that I had about learning to read.  Our beloved LeVar Burton of Reading Rainbow and  his co-founder, Mark Wolfe reinvented themselves, just in time to help us create legacies.  Their company, RRKidz has released the Reading Rainbow App available for free download at iTunes for the iPad.  Targeted to children ages 3-9 years old, the app, hosted by LeVar Burton has 150 interactive books has children travel to themed islands on reading adventures.
 

Monday, July 8, 2013

The Mommy Hook


Monday’s Mommyhood Must-Have:

 

The Mommy Hook

Never leave home without it!  The Mommy Hook stays attached to the stroller at all times.  It is lightweight, durable and has a non-slip handle.  You can attach a ton of bags, to the hook to make shopping so easy.  When you are ready to take your items in the house, you can lift off the entire hook with the packages still attached and carry them all at once.  I have the basic black, but it comes in several colors if you want to match your other accessories.  You can find it at several popular retailers for under $10.00.  It is a great gift too ;)
 

Friday, July 5, 2013

42nd Annual International African Arts Festival


Each year of my childhood, the International African Arts Festival marked the beginning of summer in Brooklyn.  “The Festival,” as it is known endearingly has always been an uplifting, creative and empowering atmosphere for people of the African Diaspora.  The sweet fragrance of incense, the aromatic spices of cooked food and the rhythmic pulse of drums are just a small part of the lure of, “The Festival’s” exciting family experience.  This year’s theme is NDUNGA Justifier/Justice (Congo).  For a donation of $3 per adult and $1 per child you can enjoy an ongoing celebration of African music, dance, drumming and fashion for the entire family.  There are children’s rides, games and an amazing vendor marketplace.  Hosted at Commodore Barry Park (Navy Street Brooklyn, NY 11205), The 42 Annual International African Arts Festival is fun from 10:00am-9:00pm rain or shine, Thursday, July 4, 2013 – Sunday, July 7, 2013.  Come ready to connect with people from all over the world.  Check out the images below for details.


 
 

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Creating Legacies As A Three Strand Cord


"Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
                                                                     Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12

I am an only child who was reared in a single parent household.  I always wanted siblings, but my mother never entertained my requests for brothers and sisters. “You weren’t born with a twin.  You were born alone and you will die alone,” she would remind me in her usual blunt fashion.  Somehow, I never quite accepted the words that she ushered in order to protect me.  While in the literal sense, her words are true, I believe that people exist in relationship to one another.  I am inspired by this scripture from the Bible encouraging us to be in relationship with others.  It empowers us to put our hands and hearts together to make profit where there is loss, to build where there is brokenness, to ignite where there is smolder, and to unify where there is division.  Intertwined and strong, let us be like the three strand chord as we are building our families and, Creating Legacies!