I'm Back

Well things have finally begun to become a more normal for my family. While I'm not fully happy with my mom's outcome from her stem cell transplant (sadly she's not in remission) we can begin moving on with our lives. She is feeling a bit better and starting to get out.  School has started too, which means that we're back into a semi-routine.

So thank you for your continued support and patience. I am not sure of the volume I will be able to keep up with, but I will try to continue to provide Ann Arbor families with the best activities and free events in the area!

Kids Try Tennis for Free: Event

Kids can try tennis for free by attending one of the many free tennis Youth Tennis
programs happening throughout Metro Detroit in September 2013.

I was watching Nickelodeon - I mean my *kids* were watching Nickelodeon - when I noticed a fun ad encouraging kids to try tennis for free. The ad instructed viewers to go online to find a location near them where they could try the sport using smaller rackets on smaller courts. Of course being an event blogger this intrigued me - Besides I think getting the kids outside, no matter how, is so important, so I went to Youth Tennis website to find a location.

There are many locations throughout Michigan and Metro Detroit, I did make note of the two closest locations where kids from Ann Arbor can enjoy the free tennis play days. Make sure you get online, but here are the locations or your children.

September 22, 2:00-4:00 p.m.

Yasmin and Brick Kids Play Day
Bricks Warehouse (7246 Jackson Rd Scio Twp, MI)
For more information contact Yasmin Kashef- kashfola@me.com or (203) 2178871

September 28, 10:00 a.m. - noon
Pinckney Area Tennis Open House
Location: 10154 Meadown Lane Pinckney, MI
For more information contact Mark Swanson - mswanson48@yahoo.com or (810) 923-4173

This free event is being sponsored by the US Tennis Association and Nickelodeon to bring tennis to more kids and to get the whole family more active. Make sure you get your kids playing tennis at this free event this September!

Ann Arbor on the Huron River: Kayaks, Canoes, Tubes and Paddleboards

I think many of you may have detected that I REALLY enjoy outdoor activities. I enjoy taking the kids on hikes, bike rides and take advantage of as many of the outdoor activities happening around Ann Arbor. We especially enjoy exploring along the Huron River. Families can enjoy picnics, biking, walking, tubing, fishing and even padding the river. I'll never forget the kids expressions the first time we took them out in a canoe - We had to grab my son's life vest to keep him in the boat. His enthusiasm simply bubbled over at the wonder of all of the Huron River's glory.

Want to experience that yourself? You can throughout most of the year, and now starting this week, you will even have the opportunity to rent canoes, paddle boats or inner tubes as the Argo Canoe Livery opens for the season on Saturday, April 20.

The livery provides families with the options to rent canoes, tubes, one or two-person kayaks, 5-person rafts, tubes and stand-up paddle boards. The livery even offers a concession stand, river merchandise, lockers and many river-themed family programs.

Hours of operation for the Argo Canoe Livery are 7-days a week 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Later this spring, on May 24, the Gallup Canoe Livery will open for business offering a second rental location that includes paddle boat rentals.

We've taken the kids out from a very young age in the canoe, in kayaks and on the paddle boats on short trips and on longer all-day trips. The river trips can be as short as 1.5, to 4 hours or all day, so what are you waiting for? Get out there and enjoy the Huron River this year! Your family will thank you for the experience.