Happy Holidays Everyone!

When I started this blog back in February I couldn't have guessed how much fun I would be having! I have lots of great parks, indoor venues and restaurants already reviewed and coming soon.

I hope everyone has a great holiday season and a Happy New Year!

Haley M. Smith Park in Herndon, VA!

Since the weather has been amazingly warm this December the boys and I struck out to find some new parks. We came across Haley M. Smith Park in Herndon,VA located off of Van Buren Street in Fairfax County! The park is situated between newer and older single family homes as well as a few industrial parks.

This park was very nice with newer equipment including swings and lots of grass. It also has a ride on two person airplane and dinosaur.The park includes two baseball/softball fields, a sand volleyball court and soccer field. There is a porta potty and when we were there it was very clean.

This is a very cute park in Herndon. It probably doesn't have a lot of shade in the summer but there are plenty of benches and picnic tables to take a break and a water fountain.

Big Chimneys Park in Falls Church, VA!

Big Chimneys Park in Falls Church, VA is located behind the Bowl America Falls Church bowling alley. This cute little park is tucked in between the bowling center and some townhomes in the City of Falls Church on West Annandale Road.

The park is not very large but it has large older trees which create lots of shade even without their leaves. The equipment is in great shape with two playsets and a swing set. There are no restrooms but if you were really stuck you could walk around to the bowling center to use the restrooms.

This is a cute little Fairfax County park and is in walking distance of townhomes and single family homes in the City of Falls Church. Parking is available on the street and if you live nearby you should check it out!

The Greene Turtle Sports Bar & Grille in Sterling,VA!

This weekend we checked out The Greene Turtle Sports Bar & Grille located next the Dulles Town Center Mall in Sterling, VA! We had heard some great things about the restaurant especially that kids meals are free with every purchase of an adult burger, sandwich, or entree.

The restaurant was very kid friendly. The booth seating had a personal TV at each table that allowed you to change the channel to whatever you wanted to watch plus you could turn it off once your meal arrived. The waitress also offered to bring the children's food out early as the kids were starving from walking around the mall. One little tidbit that I thought was neat was they had triangle shape crayons! No need to chase crayons under the table they don't roll away. It's the little things in the life! They offered a good variety of healthy foods for the kids including apple wedges with every meal. The restrooms were very clean and even though the place was busy our food got to us in a good time. 

One thing we did read is that the free kids meals are 7 days a week all day long but only at this location. I can't speak for other Greene Turtles but the Kids Eat Free offer is only good at this location. If you ever  get stuck with hungry kids and you want cheap and healthy alternative to home cooking check out The Greene Turtle!

New Reviews Coming on Family Friendly Restaurants!

It's rough enough taking the little ones out to the grocery store but taking the kids out to restaurants can sometimes be a trying experience. In Northern Virginia there are lots of family friendly restaurants out there that have great food and the kids don't mind sitting down to eat. In addition to doing reviews on local parks and museums I'll be reviewing family friendly restaurants that cater to the little ones while the parents get a stress free meal out. If you know of any great restaurants shoot me your recommendations!

Sterling Community Center Tot Drop-In in Sterling, VA

The Sterling Community Center offers  a great tot drop-in program to escape the cold weather. The kids get to run around playing with balls, riding toys, slides and much more.

The tot drop-in is open on Mondays, Wednesday and Friday from 9:30-11:30 a.m. The drop in is for children 5 and under and free. The cost for adults is $2.50 and you can also purchase a Drop-In activities Card so you won't have to worry about bringing cash with you. If the mornings aren't good for you they do offer an afternoon Tot-Drop In on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:15 to 4:45 p.m.

My kids always have a great time going especially when their friends join us! It's a clean and safe environment for both kids and parents. This is just the start of the indoor reviews I will be doing over the winter months. If you have any favorite places feel free to share and I will go and review each venue.

Pat Rodio Park in Fairfax, VA!

Pat Rodio Park is located in the City of Fairfax right next door to Paul VI Catholic High School. You can get to the park either by parking on the street in neighborhood behind the high school or parking in the school parking lot. I wouldn't recommend parking in the lot during the school day.

The park has a small set of the swings and a decent piece of play equipment. The park has two baseball fields and soccer goals. In the afternoon hours the play equipment is completely in the shade. There is a porta potty next to the baseball field and when we were there it was is in good condition.

This Fairfax County park is small but if you live in the neighborhood it would a nice place to take the kids to burn off some energy as there is plenty of grass for them to run around on.

Amalthea Ridge Homestead in Great Falls, VA

I'm very excited to announce that Amalthea Ridge Homestead will be releasing a new line of bath and body products. The release of the new goat milk soaps and lotions is their very first of the season!  All of the creations are hand crafted on the homestead using fresh goat milk that is produced by Amalthea Ridge goats.

Amalthea Ridge is owned and operated by my good friend Sarah. This was a great year for Amalthea Ridge Homestead with their first kid being born in April and it looks like next year we will see several new additions to the Homestead. Check back next year for photos of new kids and exciting new goat milk soaps and lotions!

The Long Winter Months....

It was great having the warm weather stretch into November but alas the winters months are upon us. Since we won't be able to be outside checking out the parks I'll be checking out venues where we can have fun inside! Follow us while we travel around the DC Metro Area looking for fun things to do indoors. If you know of any great indoor venues that are great for kids and families please email me.

I hope you and your families have a great holiday season and a Happy New Year!

Happy Thanksgiving!

This year my family and I have a lot to be thankful for! We hope you and your family have a great Thanksgiving and an awesome holiday season!

Bruin Park in Herndon, VA!

The weather lately has been crazy warm for the month of November. So we have been taking full advantage of the warm weather to check out some new parks. Last week we checked out Bruin Park in Herndon, VA.

Bruin Park is an 8-acre park that has plenty of shade and the play equipment was in good shape. There is a set of swing sets with both toddler and adult swings. A clean porta potty is available near the parking lot and when we were there it had just been cleaned. In addition to the play equipment it has two tennis courts, a softball field, a picnic pavilion and a basketball court.

As we were leaving the park we ran into grandmother bringing her grandchild to the playground and she informed me that she use to bring her son to the this park 30 years ago. She was excited to see that there were still lots of trees and she could bring her grandchild over to play.

This is a cute clean neighborhood park located in Fairfax County off of Van Buren Street near Old Town Herndon. If you live nearby you should check it out!

Madison Park in Falls Church, VA!

Last week we checked out Madison Park in Falls Church, VA. This cute little neighborhood park sits amongst nice single family homes in the City of Falls Church.

This is cute neighborhood park has one large piece of play equipment and a set of swings. There are plenty of benches, water fountain and a small pavilion with picnic benches. There is lots of shade over the equipment and plenty of shade for the kids to escape the sun. The park also has a small grassy area for the kids to run around on. There is plenty of parking either in the lot or on the street. Sadly there are no restrooms for all those potty trainers out there.

A very lovely neighborhood park and if you live in the area you should check it out!

Walker Nature Education Center and Trails in Reston, VA!

Yesterday we checked out the Walker Nature Education Center in Reston, VA. The Walker Education Center is located amongst 1300 acres of open space in Fairfax County and maintained by the Reston Association.

The Nature House located off of Glade Drive has a small collection of reptiles and fish for the kids to check out. Also a few exhibits for them to touch and sort. They also had a nature scavenger hunt sheet while you're out walking the trails. The Nature House has super clean restrooms and a parking lot.

The best part of the education center was the 2 miles of loop trails throughout the open space. The trails are clearly marked by logs with resting benches throughout. The trails are either gravel or dirt and can accommodate bikes, strollers and wagons.  If you're a geocacher there are lots of hidden caches found in the area.

For us the Nature House wasn't much but the trails were great and in the summer time would be completely in the shade. If you live nearby you should check it out on a nice day!

Finding Your First Home

It's an exciting time when you start looking for your first home. Maybe you know what areas you like or the type of home you would prefer maybe even your budget, but no matter your knowledge base, the task can be daunting. A lot of first time home buyers are uncertain how to start looking or who they can trust in the process. I offer a few suggestions below that may aid in the process.

Write It Down
Write down what you are looking for in a property and what you would like to avoid. If you are buying with another person make your own lists and compare and contrast your needs.

Searches
These days most home searches start on the internet where first time home buyers can go through many listings, virtual tours and photo albums. Look at maps and decide which areas you would consider and or avoid. Once you start looking at homes you can cross off areas you find don't meet your needs. Drive around the areas you think you may want to live and commute from.

Finances
If you're uncertain about the lending process and what you can afford go talk to an expert. Most banks have loan officers who will sit down with you and talk about your finances free of charge. This is the time to ask questions and determine what monthly mortgage you would be comfortable paying. The loan officer can also show you different loan programs that you qualify for with the best interest rate. Shop around for the best rate and loan options just know when you get serious about a home you must have a lender lined up. A lender will be writing your pre approval letter which you will submit with any offer you put down on a property.

Realtors
Referrals, referrals, referrals! If you're on the search for a Realtor ask your friends, coworkers and family members for referrals. Chances are if they were happy with their Realtor you might be too. If you're not from the area and can't obtain a referral from someone who lives in the area go on the internet. Make sure you look at their websites, blogs and or social media pages to determine how well they know the area. Once you pick a Realtor make your needs known and be honest if you don't care for certain properties.

If you find this small bit of information helpful let the True North Realty Team help you find your first home!

Nottoway Park in Vienna, VA!

Last week we checked out Nottoway Park in Vienna, VA. Tucked back amongst a lovely neighborhood of single family homes on Courthouse Road in Fairfax County this 84 acre park has plenty for everyone.

The Hunter House sits on the Nottoway Park property named after it's original owner. This original farmhouse as been renovated over the years and was purchased by the Park Authority in 1972. It now can be rented to accommodate social and corporate events.

Besides the Hunter House the park has many different recreational courts and fields including tennis, basketball, volleyball courts and baseball fields. Different walking, biking and hiking trails run throughout the park as well. A small playground is located in a shady part of the park and sits near the public restrooms. The equipment is small but does include a set of swings with both toddler and child swings.

This very large park has a lot to offer Oakton and Vienna. If you enjoy organized sports there are plenty of different options to choose from at Nottoway. If you live in the area you should stop by and check it out!

Have a Safe and Happy Halloween!

Upton Hill Regional Park in Arlington, VA!

Upton Hill Regional Park in Arlington, VA straddles Fairfax and Arlington County.  The park is surrounded by great older single family homes that Arlington is known for and lots of local shopping. The park has a miniature golf course, Ocean Dunes Waterpark, bocce ball pit, batting cages, and playground. If you're into walking/hiking the park has lots of trails that take you through naturally wooded areas. If you are into geo-caching there are lots of hidden caches in the park.

On our visit we walked some of the trails and hit up the playground. Where the play equipment is placed you can tell it use to be an old fountain and the kids had a blast walking up the stairs between the two different play areas. The playground is in pretty good shape and in plenty of shade. The park does have restrooms but not down below near the equipment. If you're interested in the play equipment you can either park on Wilson Blvd or park above near the waterpark and walk down the trail.

This nice natural park is great to see amongst the busy area of Arlington and has lots to offer everyone!

Joseph D. Reading Park in Manassas, VA!

A few weeks ago we checked out Joseph D. Reading Park in Manassas, VA. This cute little Prince William County park is close to Route 28 near Kline's Freeze on Maplewood Drive. If you weren't looking it for it you would never know it was there.

The park is tucked back away from Maplewood Drive. It has several walking paths, basketball courts, tennis courts, picnic pavilions. More importantly there are two little playgrounds with permanent restrooms near by. The equipment was in good shape with lots of shade around the equipment. The one turn off was that the slides were aluminum and were kind of hot when we went to check them out.

This park was very cute and very well maintained. In you live in Manassas you should check it out!

Cox Farms in Centreville, VA!

Every year we visit Cox Farms in Centreville, VA for their Fall Festival. Cox Farms puts on a great Fall Festival from September-November with lots of things for the family to do including huge slides, hayrides, Goat Village, live entertainment, barnyard animals and of course the pumpkins! There is something for every age and size when you go to Cox Farms. The area where it is held mostly dirt, grass or gravel so it makes it easy for strollers and wagons to get around. The restrooms are all clean porta potties and scattered all over the festival.

The Fall Festival is known for it's colorful cutouts of popular cartoon characters and pumpkins. Hillside slides are a huge attraction and located on top of little hillsides. There is plenty to do with the little ones including checking out the barnyard animals that are penned throughout the festival. If you want to meet the many goats that Cox Farms has head to the Goat Village to feed, pet and watch the goats walk around the ramp system.

 The pictures do not do the Festival justice not to mention there are too many large slides to put up. When it's time to leave the festival you are given a free pumpkin with every paid admission. The exit to the festival takes you through the Festival Market where you can purchase large pumpkins,fresh produce, baked goods, kettle korn and candied apples. If you like having fresh produce you can always stop by the Cox Farms Corner Market during the Spring and Summer.

If you live in South Riding, Chantilly, Centreville, Aldie or Stone Ridge you are just a short trip away from the Annual Festival and Corner Market!