Family "stuff"

Jr. Olympics @ Elzie Odom Recreation Center
parks and recreation 4/28/2007 Time: 10am-2pm
Ages: Free - Ages 8-13
Events include Basketball, Soccer, and Rapid Rally Tennis.
Address: 1601 NE Green Oaks Blvd Phone: (817) 462-3700
Friday Night Fun - Hugh Smith Recreation Center
Time: 9:00pm-11:00pm Ages: 12-17
Fee: Free
Teens can play dodge ball or shoot hoops with us.
Address: 1815 New York Ave Phone: 817-275-1351

Friday Night Skate - Elizie Odom Recreation Center
Time: 7pm-11pm  call for more information
Address: 1601 NE Green Oaks Blvd Phone: 817-462-3700

Parent's Night Out - Cliff Nelson Recreation Center
Time: 6pm-10pm Ages: 7-12
$15 when activities on site; $20 when activities off site
Kids come have fun with us while parents enjoy a night out
Address: 4600 W. Bardin Rd

Parent Survival Night - The Little Gym
Time: 6:00 Ages: 3 yrs to 12 yrs
The Little Gym makes it possible for parents to enjoy a much-needed night out on the town, knowing their kids are safe and having a blast. Children enjoy an evening of friends, games, music and continue their motor skill development under the watchful eyes of our professional instructors. Parents' Survival Night is held on select Friday and/or Saturday evenings and is open to both The Little Gym members and non-members.
Address: 740 SW Green Oaks Blvd. #202 Phone: (817) 465-9296

Storytime at Barnes and Noble - Barnes and Noble
Time: 1:00pm
Starting April 7, 2007 every Saturday will be story time. They will read a book and afterwards work on a arts and craft.
Address: 934 E Copeland Rd Phone: 817-277-5184

El día de los niños/ el día de los libros - Southeast Branch
April 28, 11:00 a.m.
Come join us for a celebration of childhood and bilingual literacy. Activities will include a bilingual puppet show, a craft, dancing, refreshments, and door prizes! Don't miss out on this cultural experience! For all ages. The puppet show will be performed by Bowie High School's LULAC organization and dancing will be performed by Bowie High School's Folklorico Group and Salsa dancers.

Piñata Party! : El día de los niños/ el día de los libros - East Arl. branch
April 28, 1:00 p.m.
Come celebrate el día de los niños and el día de los libros with a Piñata Party. The program will start with our  guest reader, Deputy City Manager Gilbert Perales.  Afterwards, children may make their own piñata, mosaic picture, and Ojo de Dios. At 2:30 p.m. there will be a very special bilingual story time and the breaking of the piñata! This program is intended for all ages.

Johnnie High's Country Music Revue
April 27 & 28 call for ticket information
Arlington Music Hall 224 N. Center St. 76011 817-226-4400
Show time: 7:30pm

Saturday Nature Walks/Animal Presentations
River Legacy Living Science Center, 817-860-6752

Ballpark Tours & Legends of the Game Museum
The Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, 817-273-5600

Egg-citement abounds in this Easter musical adventure! A rookie detective on his very first case is hot on the trail of two villains who plan to stop the Easter Bunny's Sunday morning delivery by destroying all the Easter eggs. Is it a conspiracy? Or, perhaps it's an inside job. This delightful children's whodunit is full of excitement and laughs for the whole family! Cost $13-$15
Address: 3101 West Lancaster Avenue, Fort Worth Phone: 817-332-2272

My Little Pony Live! The World's Biggest Tea Party - 
Nokia Theatre at Grand Prairie  4/5/2007 to 4/8/2007  7:00 PM   
To purchase tickets, contact Ticketmaster online at Ticketmaster.com or by phone at 214.373.8000, metro 972.647.5700. Tickets are also available at all Ticketmaster outlets.
Parking Information:
General Parking is $12.00 and conveniently located on-site. In addition, NOKIA Theatre offers Premium parking services for $25.00. For directions and a parking map

                   
Putt-Putt Entertainment Eggstravaganza - Putt-Putt Entertainment
4/7/2007 Time: 9:00A Ages: 1 - 5, 6 - 9, 10 - 12
All egg hunts start at 9A sharp. Prizes include gameroom tokens, candy, free passes and 1 free birthday package. There will be 3 age groups hunting.  Please RSVP if you think you maybe coming.
Address: All Tarrant County parks

                                                       
Eggfest - Fielder Road Baptist Church
4/7/2007 Time: 10 am- 2 pm Ages: Toddlers- 4th grade
Free event for toddlers through 4th graders at Fielder Road Baptist Church with face painting, age/graded egg hunts, obstacle course, free family portraits, pony rides, petting zoo, bounce houses. Food is available for cash purchase.
Address: 1323 W. Pioneer Parkway (817) 459-8900                                                     

An Eggsciting Event - Mission Arlington
4/7/2007 Time: 10:00 AM
Individuals, families, businesses, civic organizations, and student groups are busy collecting plastic eggs and individually wrapped bags of candy. Others are volunteering their time to put the candy in the eggs. One hundred thousand (100,000) eggs are needed to make this event a success.  All donations are welcome and needed.
Children attending this event will enjoy food, bouncy houses, field games, and so much more. Every one who attends will also hear the "Greatest Story Ever Told" - the Easter Story.  Address: Maverick Stadium  UTA                                                                                    

Breakfast with the Bunny
4/7/2007 Time: 10:00 AM- noon Ages: All Ages
Simon Kidgits Club® members are invited to a special Breakfast with the Bunny, including a free breakfast with Chick-fil-A Chicken Mini's and Slammers® Milk, plus each child will receive a goody bag filled. After breakfast, there will be a marionette show entitled, "Spring Fling", performed by the Dallas Puppet Theatre. Kids will also be able to make their own Easter Basket and participate in hands-on craft activities. Cost is $5
3880 Irving Mall, Irving                                                                                                  

Six Flags Over Texas
2201 Road to Six Flags, Arlington  817-530-6000, www.sixflags.com
April 6 & 27, 10 am-10 pm; April 9, 10 am-6 pm; 10 am-10 pm Sat; 11 am-7pm Sun
$42; $34.99 for guests shorter than 48 inches; free for ages 2 and younger                       

    
The Planetarium at UT-Arlington
700 Planetarium Place, Arlington - 817-272-1183; www.uta.edu/planetarium
$5; $4 seniors, students and children; $3 UTA faculty/staff; $2 UTA students; group rates available  Call for show times  Planetarium show features live sky talk and theater-style show with 3-D animation and music.
    Honey I Shrunk the Solar System
7pm Thu, 2:15pm Sat Sun through May 31
   Cosmic CSI
7pm Fri, 1pm Sat and Sun through March 31
   Rock Hall of Fame 2
8pm Thu and Fri through May 31

Now, don't think "it'll never happen here" because it CAN.  I have lived in Arlington 31 years and have been through lots of times when the storm alarms went off, green/yellow skys appeared, and hail fell so I thought the same too.  UNTIL  March 28, 2000 it happened and just missed my neighborhood by a few streets.  It did go right by my sister in-laws house but thankgoodness missed it.  It destroyed buildings in Ft.Worth, houses from there to here, business's, apartments etc. as it tore through from west to north (hooked a left we say). 

So, do you know what the difference is between a Watch and a Warning?  If a tornado "watch" is issued for your area, it means that a tornado is "possible."  If a tornado "warning" is issued, it means that a tornado has actually been spotted, or is strongly indicated on radar, and it is time to go to a safe shelter immediately.    

                                   
Do you know what you are supposed to do when you hear that siren go of?  Well if you are at home make sure every member of the family knows where the safest spot is and meet there.  A basement or tornado shelter would be ideal but if you don't have either of those head for 1. a windowless room like a closet or pantry that is in the middle of your house on a first floor  2. the bathroom and take a mattress or couch cusions to put over top  3. under the stairs (great if a closet is under them) 4. under a heavy table (work table, diningroom table or anything very heavy).  If you are outside head for a ditch do not go under an underpass.  If you are at a store, bank etc. LISTEN for the employee's giving directions.  I worked at a major dept. store and we are told what to do.  (most times it's to head to the store rooms as they are in a windowless area and sometimes in the center of the store.)  Please go to the lowest floor and listen to what they are saying.  If you are in a high rise building go to the fire stairwell.  And if you are in a Mobil home that is located in a Mobil home park ASK the manager.  They may have a shelter or a secure laundry facility to go to.                                                        

Do you have a "disaster supplies kit"?  You should have one in your car and your home.  the Red Cross suggests these items.

1. First aid kit- this should also include any medication family members need to take.  (ask for an extra prescription to fill for emergency)

2. battery powered radio, flashlight, and extra batteries.  An emergency radio/tv can be found that are small enough too.

3. Canned food, bottled water, hand operated can opener (and don't forget food/water for pets too).  There should be enough for each person for at least 3 days.

4. extra shoes, gloves, blanket

5. instructions on how to turn off homes utilites (manly gas!)

6. candles, matches

Also, let me tell you a few Urban myths and wether they are True or False:

1. Lakes, rivers and mountains are safe from tornadoes. FALSE 

2. Low pressure causes a building to "explode" as tornado passes over.FALSE

3. Opening a window will equalize the pressure in a building. FALSE 

4. Shelter under highway underpasses are safer. FALSE (A ditch is better. Get horizontal.)

5. Downtowns don't get hit. FALSE (Since March 28, 2000, nobody in Fort Worth has believed this one.)

6. Mobile-home deaths vastly outnumber permanent-home deaths over the past 25 years.  TRUE

7. A strange quiet that occurs within or shortly after the thunderstorm. TRUE

8. Clouds moving by very fast, especially in a rotating pattern or converging toward one area of the sky. TRUE (if you look up and there seems to be 2 layers of clouds each moving a different way they it's a HUGE possiblity).

9. If you see a tornado and it is not moving to the right or to the left relative to trees or power poles in the distance, it may be moving towards you! TRUE (TAKE COVER!)

                                                                      
Friday Night Swim - Hugh Smith Indoor Pool parks and recreation
3/30/2007 Time: 6-8pm Ages: whole family
Start your weekend off with a splash at Hugh Smith Recreation Center's Friday Night Swim. Families are invited to come enjoy the warm water and fun activities. Please call for more information on Friday Night Swim. $2.50 per person
Address: 1815 New York Ave Phone: (817) 275-0513                                                                

Parents Night Out @ Cliff Nelson Recreation Center Parks
3/30/2007 Time: 6-10pm Ages: 2nd grade - 6th grade
Welcome to your Friday Night Funzone! We provide a safe and fun environment for your child each and every Friday night. Every other Friday night we will take an off site field trip which include experienced Chaperones, transportation and admission. Please pre-register by the preceding Wednesday.
Address: Cliff Nelson Recreation Center Phone: (817) 561-2819    

                                          
Flashlight Easter Hunt
3/30/2007 Time: 7pm - 10pm Ages: 4 - 12
Are you looking for a new twist on the same old Easter egg hunt? If so, we have exactly what you are looking for! Attend our annual Flashlight Easter Egg Hunt to experience the newest craze in egg hunting. It provides fun for all ages. Each egg hunter will need to bring their own flashlight and egg basket or sack. Children will be divided into age groups: 3 & under (The Easter Bunny says that parents can hop along), 4-5 years, 6-7 years, 10-12 years (The Bunny thought it through and has decided to make this hunt more challenging). Don't worry, don't fret, if your basket is low just hop on over to the Hidden Bunny Trail to continue the search. The egg hunt will start with the youngest age group, but while you wait there will be games galore. The first hunt will start at 8:10 pm, but the fun will be open to everyone at 6:00 pm. Register at any recreation center
Address: Veteran's Park, 3600 W. Arkansas Lane Phone: (817) 277-5001                    

 The Great Egg Caper A Casa Manana Theatre
3/30/2007 to 4/8/2007 Ages: All Ages
Egg-citement abounds in this Easter musical adventure! A rookie detective on his very first case is hot on the trail of two villains who plan to stop the Easter Bunny's Sunday morning delivery by destroying all the Easter eggs. Is it a conspiracy? Or, perhaps it's an inside job. This delightful children's whodunit is full of excitement and laughs for the whole family! Cost $13-$15
Address: 3101 West Lancaster Avenue, Fort Worth Phone: 817-332-2272  

Alexander Who's Not, Not, Not, Not, Not Going to Move
Creative Arts Theatre and School
3/30/2007 to 4/8/2007
Cost: $10.00
After discovering that his dad has accepted a job in another city, Alexander decides that he will not leave his home and best friend. Don't miss out on this hilarious, fun-filled musical writted by Judith Viorst with music by Shelly Markham
Address: 1100 W. Randol Mill Rd. Phone: 817-861-2287    

                                                       
I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change!
Theatre Arlington
3/30/2007 to 4/29/2007 Ages: Rated R
Cost: $22 for Fridays and Saturdays; $20 for Thurdays and Sundays
Dating and marriage are hilarious skewered in Joe DiPietro's hugely successful musical revue. Four actors take on the lives of 20 characters as they face the trials and tribulations of dealing with the opposite sex. Rated R.
Address: 305 W. Main Street Phone: 817-275-7661                 

                                                  
Free Easter Egg Hunt Lydia Font Team and RE/MAX Pinnacle
3/31/2007 Time: 1pm Sharp!
The Lydia Font team of RE/MAX Pinnacle Group is pleased to announce its 9th Annual Easter Egg Hunt. This event will be held Saturday, March 31, at Vandergriff Park.
Vandergriff Park is located at 2801 Matlock Road in Arlington. A small gift will be given to each participant. All children in attendance must be accompanied and supervised by an adult for the entire program.
Call for start time and to RSVP for this wonderful event at 817-291-2711.
Address: 2801 Matlock, Arlington 

Lake Arlington Clean Up Day Parks
3/31/2007 Time: 8am-Noon Ages: EVERYONE
Everyone is welcome! Let's help keep Arlington beautiful. We provide gloves, trash bags and pick up sticks. If you would like to bring your work gloves, that would helpful. For more information please contact Joe Gildersleeve
Address: Richard Simpson Park 6300 W. Arkansas Lane Phone: (817) 459-5902

Will be shouted on air Sunday April 15 at the Texas Motor Speedway.  The Samsung 500 NASCAR NEXTEL CUP Series race is coming to Texas.  Starting on April 12 the NASCAR Busch Series begins its Qualifying day for the O'Reilly 300 scheduled for Saturday afternoon.  Then Saturday morning, April 13^th, before the Busch race the NEXTEL Cup drivers will have their time to Qualify.  Also, scheduled this year as the Busch race finishes and nightfalls a special presentation of "Dale - the Movie" will be shown along the front stretch.  Included with the movie will be several drivers, close friends and others talk about Dale.  April 14^th brings the NEXTEL Cup race starting at 1pm.  Texas has held 12 races and has never had a repeat winner.  Each year it has been someone new "smoking" and making their way to the winner's circle. 

You can go to http://www.texasmotorspeedway.com/ now and buy your tickets for all the events!

Texas Motor Speedway is a great track.  You've got all kinds of choices of where to watch the race at.  You can sit in a Luxury Suite, or get PSL-seating..  this is where you can buy a package to sit in the same place every time with all kinds of perks.  Check out the site for Fan Deals that will include all kinds of perks and or events along with the race.  Also, don't forget about the camping.  Check out the web-site for rules/regulations and what type of camping that will best fit your needs.  You've got choices of infield, inside or outside RV parking and even a special Tent City area.  However you decide to go HAVE FUN!

So far this 07' season has Mark Martin in first place followed close behind by Jeff Gordon.  Now Mark Martin is on a minimal race schedule so it seems Jeff Gordon and others will easily push past him, shoving him further down the Chase standing.  Gordon had the Pole at Bristol and finished in the top 10 in five of the last races.  Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Burton, and Matt Kenseth, aren't to far behind either.  It should be an exciting race.

If you won't be able to make this Texas race don't fret, on November 4^th weekend comes another set of races with the NEXTEL Cup in ‘The Race For The Chase" to see who will win over all.  The Dickies 500 will be the 3^rd to last race so excitement will be at an all time high.

And if like myself, you may not make the trek to the track you can catch it all on the Speed channel, FOX, ESPN, TNT or ABC this year.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

Thursday, April 12, 2007 Gates: 7:30 pm Event: 8 pm

Aaron's Fandango 6 - A Season ticket holder exculsive event.  Up-close with NASCAR's greatest.

Thursday, April 12, 2007 Gates: 10:30 am Event: 6:00 pm

DMN Qualifying Day - Busch Series O'Reilly 300 Qualifying

Friday, April 13, 2007 Gates: 12:00 pm Event: 4:10 pm Movie: 8:00 pm

NEXTEL cup Qualifying and practice

"Dale" the movie and events surrounding the movie (after practice and qualifying)

Saturday, April 14, 2007 Gates: 9:30 am Event: 2 pm

Busch O'Reilly 300 followed by "happy hour" for the NEXTEL cup drivers

Sunday, April 15, 2007 Gates: 9:00 am Event: 1:00 pm

NEXTEL Cup Samsung 500

Sunday hours 11am-4pm  Admission:  Adults - $6, Seniors 65+ - $4, Kids under 12 - Free
FREE Parking and Admission is good all weekend

Six Flags is now OPEN !

The park will be open daily till March 18 for Spring Break.  Then it will be open on weekends till May 11 when it stays open for the summer.  Starting on June 16 the new hours will be from 10am to 11pm.

There are some new things to look for this season such as The Wii Experience.  Starting in April visitors can "test their video game skills on seven Nintendo Wii machines."  Cirque Dreams Cjoobrila will be show at night and will have acrobats and other circus style performers.  You'll find this at the Music Mill.  Also Splashwater Falls will now be renamed Aquaman Splashdown in honor of the Justice League theme spread through out the park.

New in food this year is Panda Express and Coldstone Creamery.  Also heard to be opening in the park is a Johnny Rockets. 

Admission this year is $47 and for children 48inches and under is $34.99.  Season Passes will be $79.99 and check out the new Combo Season Pass for $109.99!  This will get you into Six Flags and Hurricane Harbor.  Now, don't forget you can use your Season Passes to get into 17 different Six Flags parks.  Check out the website for more information. http://www.sixflags.com/.  Parking this year has Valet Service for $30 and regular parking for $15.

Already I hated Texas.

We moved down from Maryland. Where the weather is most always the same form of cold and colder and we only ever got a heat wave 3 times in a summer. I could ride my bike for hours without ever breaking a sweat. Not in Texas. I hardly made it up and around the block before I started panting, sweating, and cursing everything around me.

I was 10 when my father told me we were moving to Texas I pictured rolling tumbleweeds and desert. I was 11 when we finally did move. Every day in Texas I wished more and more for the rolling mountains, beaches, trees and waterfalls from back home.

Here I am now ten years later and I admit I have most unwillingly adapted to the weather. My uncle was right about the weather. It changes from summer to winter to fall to spring in completely random order. It will be hot and sunny one day then cold and cloudy the next, followed by a day of rain and storms and capping off with a day of ice and snow.

I must admit though. I love where I live. There are so many things to do in Arlington between museums, amusement parks, plays, bars, and shopping that ten years later I am still discovering new things to do around town.

I may miss the East Cost but I still love Texas.

February 23, 2007 through March 11, 2007
Theatre Arlington  OZ!
305 W. Main Street
Cost: $10.00
Contact: 817-275-7661 or www.theatrearlington.org
A musical re-telling of the classic, The Wizard of Oz, with new songs and new characters popping up in the familiar tale of a girl and her rag-tag group of friends outrunning a witch who has to have those magical shoes! All youth musical. Rated G.

February 24, 2007 through March 24, 2007
Arlington Museum of Art
Annual Youth Art Encounters Exhibition
201 West Main St.
Cost: Free
Contact: 817-275-4600 or www.arlingtonmuseum.org
Youth Art Encounters, an annual tradition in Arlington, is an exhibition celebrating Youth Achievement in Art. YAE is a combined effort of the Arlington Museum of Art, Arlington Independent School District and the Arlington Art Education Association. Presenting more than 1500 works by Arlington ISD students at all grade levels, Youth Art Encounters fills the main, mezzanine and education-level galleries of the museum. The opening reception will be held Friday, March 2nd from 5-7 pm. The general public is invited to attend. Admission to the opening reception and the exhibition is free.

March 2, 2007 through March 11, 2007
Creative Arts Theatre and School
The Silver Chair
1100 W. Randol Mill Rd.
Cost: $10.00
Contact: 817-861-2287 or www.creativearts.org
From the Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis. Join Eustace and Jill on an exciting journey as they return to Narnia to help find the missing Prince Rillian.

Festival de Primavera Musical                                                                                 3/3/2007 Time: 12pm-4pm
After a long cold winter, Traders Village and El Norte 98.3 FM, will be ready to go out and welcome the beautiful North Texas Spring Time. Festival de Primavera Musical is a special Saturday set aside by Traders Village and El Norte 98.3 FM to provide music and fun for all their listeners. Bands play along with specialty entertainment all afternoon. Festival de Primavera Musical will fill Traders Village with hot Mexican music by some of the metro's most popular Hispanic musicians. The after noon event runs from 12 noon to 4 pm. The radio station provides games and prizes for guest as they enjoy all the family fun, food and entertainment.
Admission is FREE and it's just $3.00 to park. Traders Village is centrally located in Grand Prairie, Texas just
minutes from Six Flags Over Texas, off Highway 360 on Mayfield Road.
Phone: 972-647-2331

Its cool to see the progress of the new Cowboys stadium located on Collins and Randol Mill Road but I was detoured a number of times. The access road known as Copeland is home to some of the finest restaurants in Arlington and the street also has a perfect view of Ameriquest Field and the eventually the new Cowboys park. I was driving along the street and I noticed a huge orange and black sign with an arrow signaling left turn. The sign read "Detour" and I was forced to make a left turn. Immediately, I was guided directly into the construction zone of the new stadium.

Over the weekend a dust storm blew through the metroplex causing the sky to look like something out of the movie Ghostbusters. I started to think that all the dust was coming from the big dirt mound visible from I-30 in front of Ameriquest Field. With a 100-foot hill of dirt and a big lot of beams and even bags of concrete, the area had me feeling like I was in the middle Ground Zero in New York City. Eventually I was able to get back a main road that took me to my destination. But I do want to warn you, if you travel on Copeland Road expect to be sent on a mini tour of the construction zone of the new stadium.

I'm Tovash Hatcher