Off-Track Time

Spring Break ... and that transitioned into off-track time for the Columbia Kids. The last day of Spring Break, before the older kids had to go back to school, we went to Jump N Bounce and redeemed our family pass that I'd bought on Groupon a while back. $25 for unlimited jumping for a family of four for a whole month (regular price is $50, which is still decent if you use it a lot). Can't beat that deal! We always take friends with us because bouncing with buddies is just SO much more fun than bouncing alone. The first trip, we took Bailey, Jacob and Jaxon, and were happy to have Callahan along too. The boys brought a big ball and played tag with it.

We hit JUMP eight more times while the kids were off track. Almost all of those times, we went with the DiFran Fam. Tony, Marc and Mara ... the same age as Keaton, Cooper and Colton.  We brought other friends too (Reagan and Hailey in the picture above) ... I forgot to snap a picture on the visits that Sadie, Randon and Chad came along. Jacob and Jaxon bounced with us multiple times too.

One day we got there right as it was opening up, before everything inflated ... it sure looks different with all the bouncy houses down! It was fun watching them fill with air and slowly rise to full height.

We also spent a fun day at the park (photo above), and a day just hanging at the house (both with the DiFran Family) ... the kids pulled out the small swimming pool and sprinklers as it was a warm, sunny day (I can't believe I didn't go out and get some pictures!).  One of the days the DiFran family was busy, we went to Jungle Jims with the cousins.

I remember once upon a time when the kids were simply content to be off-track. They would play and hang out at home without complaining (well, Callahan would complain of being bored, but Keaton and Cooper are homebodies, and they never did, the two hours of bowling twice a week was enough to keep them busy) ... but they do now. They've gotten spoiled and used to being entertained! "Where are we going today??" is the new off-track question. We didn't hit Fun N Motion or Nicklemania like last off-track time ... Fun N Motion closed down ... SO sad about that! And I think Nicklemania changed their hours, and didn't open until 1:00, which doesn't give the boys much time to play as I have to leave to pick up Landon at 2:30.  I had a bowling Groupon, but we didn't get around to using that either ... 

I wonder if we'll make it back to JUMP before our month pass expires ...

Off to the Jungle

A few years ago, the two little boys had been invited to a birthday party at Jungle Jim's in Midvale. It was a fun little place and I thought we'd go back, but we never did. Then, one of the "deal" sites offered a coupon, so I bought one (five passes) and invited the cousins to join us ... Addie was off for Spring Break, and the Blackham Boys were off-track. Keaton was a bit big (he could barely squish into a couple of the rides) but he was a really good sport and helped out with the little ones.

There were several rides ... swings, merry-go-round, jeeps, rockets that would go up and down. But the favorite was the bumper cars. The boys went on them several times. After we left (I had to drop the boys home and head out to the high school to pick up Landon) Will tried his hand at the bumper cars and simply went round and round and round (and round!). Courtney got a video, it was so funny. She said he could barely walk afterward. I made my own muvee, with the pictures and video I took ...

... and just in case you missed it (in the video) ... 

Courtney and I were laughing SO hard at Will's face during this ride!

OT Activities & DiFran Family Fun

It feels like the kids were JUST off track (it was back in Oct/Nov), but the long Christmas break feels like off-track time. We go back in January for just two weeks (even less, with our boys getting sick) and then it's out of school AGAIN. But I have to say, I have never enjoyed an off-track time more. We filled it with FUN and the DiFrancesco Family!

I'd run into Kiana and kids a few years ago as we volunteered in the Columbia classrooms. It was mostly in Cooper's (her son Marc was in the same class). We also figured out that her son Tony was in Keaton's class and that they were good buddies. Then we happened to get Colton and Mara on the same soccer team (and they are now in the same kindergarten class).  It was last year (Spring Off-Track) when we got together for our first playdate at the park. The kids got along so well (and Kiana and I enjoyed chatting) so we continued to get together  from then on. 

Last summer we hit Jump N Bounce a LOT ... and we did it again this off-track time. I'm always watching for the specials offering a month pass for $25. It's such a great deal and we really made the most of it. I think we went six times during this off-track. But it wasn't the only fun place frequented ...

I had also picked up some coupons to Fun N Motion ... Laser Tag and Laser Maze. Another fun day with friends. There are also arcade games there, but I try to tell the kids to save their arcade play for someplace like ... NickelMania ...

Keaton said he actually enjoyed NickelMania more the Fun N Motion, so next off-track we might try to hit it more than once. Look at all those tickets (they actually got about as many at Fun N Motion too). I'm never sure if the kids are actually playing games, or just trying to get tickets! They always love redeeming them for the penny prizes. 

We also invited the DiFran family over for breakfast one morning. I made french toast and then the kids played for a couple of hours. We'll definitely be doing that again too. 

Of course, off-track time is also a good time for various appointments and such, without having to pull the kids out of school. So both Cooper and Colton had visits to the dentist (and they both did SO great) and Cooper had a followup with the pediatrician.

Back to school on Monday ... back to the routine!

Off-Track Activities

Off-track time ... in the past, we've always done bowling, but enough schools have gone back to the traditional schedule that there just wasn't enough demand this year. Bowling was not even offered. I worried that the kids might go stir-crazy, but then I realized this off-track time was different ... no Callahan! Callahan was the one who needed scheduled activities. With him still in school, the other three boys were pretty content to stay home and relax.

A month or so ago, Groupon offered a deal for Chuck-E-Cheese, so we did go there one day. We had the place almost to ourselves (one of the few benefits of being out of school during the school year) and the boys had a blast.

They played lots of games,

got lots of tickets,

redeemed them for prizes ...

Got pizza and drinks and had a great time!

We also redeemed a Groupon for a month pass at Jump N' Bounce, and although we went a few times, we didn't make use of it as much as we did during the summer months (we were regulars then!). We also had some doctor and dentist appointments ...

and then it's Back to School again ...

Off Track Activities

Bowling Boys

Off track ... this Spring it was for FOUR weeks! But we kept busy. Of course there was off-track bowling. The Blackham Boys ALWAYS go bowling when they are off track. I'm not sure how many years we've been doing it now, but it's been several. In addition to the three Blackham Boys, we took friends Travis, Ryland and Ridley. For Cooper, it was broken arm bowling AGAIN (he's getting good at his bowling left handed). This will be Callahan's LAST time participating in the off-track bowling as he will be going to middle school next year (but Colton is looking forward to joining his older brothers ... he did get to go with them on the first day as his preschool had a break).

Park Play

We also went to the park to play. Again, we took friends Travis and Jacob, and met friends Mara, Marc and Tony there. It was wonderful weather, not too hot, and not too crowded.

Inflatable Fun

And then there was Jump and Bounce (previously "JumpingJacks ... we hadn't been since it changed ownership and we were surprised at all the changes). I had purchased a Groupon for a month pass a while back, and thought this off-track time would be the perfect time to redeem it. We went the first week the kids were off track and the boys had a blast. We planned to go several more times ... then Cooper broke his arm :(

We did still make a couple more trips in ... once taking Travis (above), another time taking Jacob and Bailey (pictured below). Even Landon went ... he's not in the picture below because he is an ornery teenager and doesn't always obey his mommy, especially when it comes to cameras. Just FYI ... when we went a couple years ago, Landon broke HIS arm jumping off one of the large inflatables. This was the first time Landon had gone back... luckily, without incident.

We also went once in the evening, meeting friends Mara, Marc and Tony there... it was less crowded than during the day, which was surprising to me. Our month pass still has a week left, so hopefully we'll get in one more visit after school hours.

Cooper still went with us after he broke his arm. He was a good sport, and sat waiting with Mom in the lounge. I brought books, puzzles, Ipods, etc. to help entertain (yes, in the picture above he's playing a game on one Ipod touch while a movie is playing on another one). To reward him for his patience, Mom and Cooper went out to lunch at Golden Corral, one of Cooper's favorite spots ... although I think he'd be happy with just the dessert bar (just the ice cream in fact!).

So, we probably would have done a little more during the off-track time, if we didn't have the broken arm to deal with. I did drop off the older boys (plus Ryland and Travis) at Nicklemania one day. We thought about a movie, but that didn't materialize. The kids were pretty happy just playing and hanging out. The Wii got a workout, and the basketball hoop was in fairly constant use. And while the boys are great kids and I don't mind having them around, it will be nice to get back to school and back to a routine to finish up the year. I just hope we can get up in the mornings after sleeping in!

Bowling Buddies

So we hit our first off-track time of the new school year. With Cooper's broken arm, we had initially planned on him sitting out this session. But then, buddies Ryland and Ridley asked if they could catch a ride and go bowling with our boys (we've got the room in the car, so why not?). Well, if Cooper's best buddy Ridley was going to be bowling, then Cooper wanted to go bowling too, broken arm not withstanding! It actually went great! Cooper says maybe he'll still bowl with his left arm even when the cast comes off. He even won the coveted "trophy" (bowling pin) again (yea, now we have three bowling pins around the house).

It was very fun bowling with friends. Allstar Lanes also redid the arcade section, making it bigger, and using a "credit card" rather than tokens. You can even count your tickets and upload them to your card (rather than saving them like we did in the past). The kids LOVE playing in the arcade, and they are given a few credits as part of the session, so they always spend the last few minutes playing until they are picked up. Once, as I walked in to get them, I found Ryland surrounded by a PILE of tickets ... he had hit the jackpot. The older kids tend to save their tickets for a big purchase, while the little guys usually would spend that day's winnings on small items each day.

Thanks again Allstar Lanes (and Ana, the teacher!) for another fun off-track bowling session.

Bowling Boys

Now I have to say right up front that I don't care for year round school ... it's hard enough trying to get the kids on a schedule with homework, reading and bedtimes (and getting up early!), but it seems that once I think I'm there ... it's time for OFF-TRACK time. Luckily, there are several off-track options to help keep the boys busy when they aren't in school. A favorite one we've found is bowling at All Star Lanes. Twice a week I can drop the kids off for a couple of hours and they get to bowl, eat lunch and play a little in the arcade. There is some instruction, and then "free" bowling. The last day, it is usually "Cosmic" bowling, where they bowl in the dark with black lights and strobes and a fog machine. For the past few sessions, they have also had a small competition, the winner getting a wonderful bowling pin trophy. This last session, we came home with two of them! My boys love off-track bowling. This was actually Cooper's first time going, as he's generally preferred to stay home with me before. We also look forward to summer, when All Star Lanes offers the "Summer Safe Pass" which lets each one of us come for one free bowling game a day all summer long. We made it in several times last summer. Thanks All Star Lanes!