‘Summer Fun’ Articles at Sweetnicks

Visit: Packet Alley, Delaware

August 12, 2018 · Narrative

Looking for a fun day trip with your family? Let’s head to Delaware!

Last summer, another family and I planned a whirlwind day trip to Delaware. If you’re a regular reader here, you know I am fond of the Roadside America app, and that’s how a quick visit to Packet Alley in New Castle, Delaware got added to our “Things to Do” list.

Seriously the cutest neighborhood ever with narrow cobblestone streets and beautifully designed houses, I swear I would move there in a heartbeat. We slowly navigated our way to our destination and found on-street parking easily.

This above sign was put in in 1933, to herald the significance of this little blink-and-you-miss it historical alley way.

Why was this spot so important?

Back in the 1830s and ’40s, it was a common DC-to-Northeast thoroughfare for many of those traveling North. Stagecoaches from the south would unload on one end of the alley by the street, and riverboats from the north would pick up the contents from the other end and be on their way. A practice started in the 19th century, many famous people walked the same path we did that summer day, including former President Andrew Jackson, Presidential hopeful Henry Clay, Davy Crockett and Chief Black Hawk.

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Visit: Jets Training Camp

August 8, 2017 · Narrative

A super fun, completely free summer activity that will wow both kids and adults alike … let’s go to the Jets Training Camp!

With the exception of two weeks this summer, there is no structured camp for my kids this year (much like last year). Nick is too old and has his first job, and Madeline honestly just wasn’t into it. Luckily since I am self-employed, I can make this work, but it’s a bit of a challenge to 1) plan activities so she still has a fun summer and 2) plan activity-free time so I can still work.

This is our second summer doing this, and it’s working. I make sure to have a good mix of free and inexpensive activities augmented by an occasional day trip, and lots of downtime for the kids so I can do what I need to do for my clients.

Paying a visit to the Jets Training Camp was a definite highlight for all of us last week. I mean … how often do you get this close to an NFL football team … for free?

I KNOW!

Although this isn’t the first year that the public has been able to get tickets for their training camp, it’s the first year that we’ve gone, so I had no idea what to expect.

Their training officially starts at 1:50 pm, but you can get there up to two hours earlier to take advantage of some of the fun beforehand.

We pulled into the big open grassy field, following the direction of the parking attendants, and hopped a ride onto the constantly running shuttle buses, which took us to the stadium entrance. Once there, we had our tickets scanned (you HAVE TO bring your paper tickets, they will not accept them from your mobile device), and they offered to trade them in for more official looking green and white tickets, which makes for a nice souvenir.

Once we were in, we wandered around a small area that was set up with fun things to do. A few football-themed inflatables, a photo booth with a DJ, and a chance to meet a few of their cheerleaders and get autographs and pose for pictures with them. Once you’re done in this area and ready to go to your seats, you can hop a ride on a golf cart and they let you off right at the bleachers.

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Craft Time: Watercolor Bubble Art

June 19, 2012 · Ad-Free

Last day of school for Nick and we celebrated the achievement with a doctor’s appointment for me and an orthodontist appointment for Nick. Um, yay.

I figured if anything could soften the blow of our sub-par afternoon, it would be a little bit of art. Last week, I spied a fun new technique over on Rubyellen’s blog, Cakies, using bubble solution and bubble wands. If there’s one thing we have, it’s tons of bottles of bubble solution. Two years ago, at an after-summer clearance, I stocked up on five-cents-a-bottle bubbles. Totally my kind of sale. And perfect for this quick art project.

The other thing I have a ton of? Paint. I happen to be partial to the Plaid brand, and bought of ton of it last year. It’s inexpensive, lasts forever, and is super versatile. Used right out of the bottle, it’s vibrant and thick, and perfect for an endless stream of kid painting projects. We also water it down some and treat it like a watercolor-type of paint as well. Today? It was added to bubble solution.

I set the kids up in the backyard with water cups, paint brushes, thick white artist paper (we got our supplies at our local Walmart), paint, and bubbles. They chose their own color schemes. It cracked me up that the colors Nick chose happened to match his shirt. Once the paint was mixed in with the bubble solution, they went to town, using the wand to blow paint filled bubbles onto their paper. They also used the wands to flick paint onto the paper, creating a fun splatter effect.

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