One Last Strike - Baseball Book Review

Available on Amazon

The Remarkable Story of the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals

I was living in St. Louis in 2011 watching my favorite baseball team, the Cardinals, on TV every day. As the season dwindled down, I watched and worried and agonized with the rest of the city with 'fingers crossed' while our team fell further behind, ending up more than 10 games out with less than a month left in the season. As we went through September, the Cardinals came close to catching up, but every one of the last 5 games of the regular season was an elimination game.

In "One Last Strike", Tony La Russa, the third winningest manager in baseball history, takes us through his Cardinals' 2011 season, which was also his last season as a baseball manager. He describes how the team came from ten and a half games back to make the playoffs on the night of the final game of the season and how they went on to win the World Series despite being down to their last strike 'twice' in a comeback like no other! At the beginning of September 2011, not even Tony could have foreseen the magical and memorable ride the Cardinals were about to take.
 

Manager Tony La Russa and his St. Louis Cardinals Team

You don't need to be a St. Louis Cardinals fan to enjoy this book. Any baseball fan will love the 'behind-the-scenes' look into how a manager makes game by game and inning by inning decisions to bring his team to a win. The Cardinals had to have those 'wins' over and over to first make it to the playoffs, and then to the World Series in this hard-fought 2011 baseball season.

 

Busch Stadium - Home of the St. Louis Cardinals

In his book "One Last Strike", Tony writes,

 “all the cliches we (the Cardinals) used about never giving up on yourself, believing in yourself, bouncing back from adversity – they're all true!”

Tony La Russa describes how he used his 33 years experience managing baseball teams from the Chicago White Sox to the Oakland A's to being the St. Louis Cardinals' longest serving manager to bring the Cardinals to their final game of the World Series .. and win. He gives great credit to team unity and determination.


 

Tony La Russa (Source: Wikimedia)

Tony La Russa's Rules as a Baseball Manager

La Russa had simple rules as manager.

• Don't do something to lose the game when on defense.
• Do something to win the game on offense.
• Be good enough and tough enough... and keep believing.

In a team meeting prior to the beginning of the 2011 MLB Baseball Playoffs, La Russa tells his players that sports are unpredictable. The best team or player can have an off day. Just come in as prepared as you can be and play the best of your ability.

He summed it up with “Play as if each game is the 7th game of the World Series --- or the last (baseball) game of your life, and play only one game at a time.”
 

Tony La Russa talks about his book "One Last Strike"

 

More Baseball Books...

 

Available on Amazon

Additional stories about manager Tony La Russa and his analytical manager mind applied to a game.

Written by Buzz Bissinger, author of Friday Night Lights, Three Nights in August: Strategy, Heartbreak, and Joy Inside the Mind of a Manager is about a three-game series between the Cardinals and Cubs in 2003. It describes manager Tony La Russa's decisions for each batter and each inning of this 3-game series, based somewhat on computer data, but more importantly his experiences managing nearly 4,000 games. 

My 'Salute' to some special St. Louis Cardinals

• A Collection of (St. Louis) Cardinals Baseball Players

If I were to create my perfect 'Dream Team' for the St. Louis Cardinals, using players from the past to the present at each position, this is what it would look like.

Your Review This Baseball Contributor and Article Writer, Wednesday Elf, is a Big Baseball Fan!

When I'm not 'watching' baseball... or 'talking' about baseball, I love reading books about baseball. It was great fun to relive the St. Louis Cardinals' magical 2011 season through the eyes (and words) of manager Tony La Russa. What a wild ride he had in his final managerial season!

"One Last Strike" is their story. I enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed being part of the St. Louis Cardinals 2011 season while living in the team city!


Article Originally Written © 2014 Wednesday-Elf.  Updated for Review This! Blog on 8/31/2023.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Popsockets - The Smart Phone Accessory You Never Knew You Needed!

Popsockets are the smart phone accessory that you never knew you needed!  If you have a teen then these are the best gift idea ever - they will love them and you may save yourself some money - sound good?  Read on as I review popsockets for you.

If you're in a hurry jump straight to a selection of popsockets to purchase.

I'll review exactly what popsockets are as well as offering some cool popsockets for sale.  As I'm not sure whether you are new to popsockets or just looking to buy one I've included a list of what's on this page and you're welcome to jump straight to the appropriate section.

What is a Popsocket?

So exactly what is a popsocket I hear some of you asking, well I had never heard of them until recently when my daughter came home with one stuck on the back of her phone.   It looked like a smaller version of a bathroom hook to hang towels off of and I really couldn't see why she would want a round 'knob' stuck on the back of her phone.

Then she demonstrated it (with it 'popped out') and I realized what a cool idea it was, check out the image below to see how it works

Basically it's a way to hold your phone while you scroll through Facebook, text your mom or snapchat with your friends.  It's a very basic idea which is quite genius - a basic must have accessory for any smart phone.  Even my daughter commented that she didn't know how much she needed it until she had it and I think you'd feel the same way once you got one.

How Do I Save Money With a Popsocket?

Now you're probably thinking okay the popsocket looks great, but you said something about saving money - please explain!

Now I'm not sure how people keep dropping their phones and getting yet another screen cracked, but it seems to happen way too much and as the phones get thinner they seem to slip out of the hand even easier.

There have been several occasions when my daughter has nearly dropped her phone and it has only been saved because the popsocket is between her fingers.   As an aside, I've only had to replace her screen once, whereas some of her friends have had their whole phones replaced due to being dropped on many occasions!

Teens aren't the only ones who drop their phones, we have a friend who if he hasn't lost his phone has damaged it due to it falling more times than he's had hot dinners!   If you're a bit of a butter finger when it comes to your phone then you need to consider a popsocket.

Where to Position Your Popsocket?

Photo credit - Lousdesigns.com

So you've taken the plunge and brought yourself a popsocket and you know it sticks to the back of your phone (or phone case), but where?

My daughter spoke about positioning her popsocket with the distain that only a teenager can show because apparently most people put their popsockets in the middle of the phone which is wrong in many cases -although not always.  Confused?

Before you position your popsocket you have to look at how you naturally hold your phone - text, phone, scroll, snap a selfie and just see how you're holding your phone.  My daughter has small hands and a large phone and is usually texting rather than scrolling (she doesn't do social media!) so she has positioned her popsocket a little lower.

If my husband were to have one he would want his to be in the center because he holds his phone very much in the center with one hand while using the other hand to text (and he always puts it on speaker to talk).

For myself I would probably have the popsocket slightly lower than my daughter and a little more to one side as that's where I tend to hold my phone.

So to sum up look at how you're holding your phone to use it before you do add your popsocket and that way you'll know exactly where it will be most comfortable for you.

Cool Popsocket Designs

There are lots of different designs available for the popsocket, as you can see from the photo above my daughter has a blue mandala design, but there are a range of different ones available including plain white or plain black ones and these few here -

 PopSockets: Expanding Stand & Grip for Smartphones - Blue Nebula PopSockets: Expanding Stand and Grip for Smartphones and Tablets - Elephant PopSockets: Expanding Stand and Grip for Smartphones and Tablets - Baseball

Now although I say to put your popsocket on your phone, obviously if you use a case you need to put it on the case.  One of my daughter's friends has the blue nebula popsocket featured above on a case with the same design which really stands out.

It makes me think that you could have a different popsocket for each phone case you have and really make a statement!

A Marble Popsocket?

My daughter did want a marble popsocket when she first looked at them and by that she didn't mean one made of marble, but rather a design that looked like marble.  Talking to the lady who runs a small phone accessory store at our local mall it appears that the marble popsockets are definitely the most popular ones with the teenage market.

I was thinking of getting one for my daughter's birthday, but when they say marble they forget to tell you how many different ones that encompasses - blood marble, blue marble, white marble, the list just seems to go on and on...

 PopSockets: Expanding Stand and Grip for Smartphones and Tablets - White Marble PopSockets: Expanding Stand and Grip for Smartphones and Tablets - Marble Chic PopSockets: Expanding Stand and Grip for Smartphones and Tablets - Blood Marble

Popsockets - A Great Gift Idea, Not Just For Teens!

Not only are popsockets on every teen's gift list they would also be ideal for a number of other people.  If I didn't use a flip case for my phone I would definitely be rocking a popsocket myself!

Popsockets aren't expensive which means they are perfect as a stocking filler, an office secret Santa gift, a neighbor gift or just as a little thank you for someone.

As I've mentioned these can be stuck on phone cases and/or phones so even if they already have a popsocket they could always have another one because I don't know many people (teens especially) who only have one phone case.

What Do You Think of Popsockets?

I'd love to know your thoughts on this smart phone accessory.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Southern Fried Cotton Review

Southern Fried Cotton Trademark Hat

Recently I began a part time job in a retail clothing department. Our store is located in Coastal Georgia, so many of the lines of clothing we carry are from Southern companies and have designs that are popular in our coastal communities.

One of these lines is the Southern Fried Cotton Company located in Clemson, South Carolina.  SoFriCo is a graphic design and screen printing company that has been in operation for 25 years.  It specializes in T-Shirts and hats.  

The company was begun by three young men, John, Chuck and Chris, who were all raised in the Upstate of South Carolina with  frequent trips to the coast, plenty of weekends on the lake, and lots of time spent on dirt roads and back woods with either a dog or a gun…or both. Their creative designs reflect this lifestyle and appeal to people old and young who appreciate and enjoy the Southern lifestyle.

SOFRICO

The goal of the owners of Southern Fried Cotton is to create apparel that captures the Southern spirit…. from the rustic countryside to the vibrant coastline! They combine country with coastal, sand with dirt, prep with grit, and vintage with new. Some of their designs reflect the good ole days.  Other designs are timeless that all ages can appreciate.  And, they’re all Southern Fried! 

Howling Dog Logo

 

Image (c) Wednesday Elf

Southern Fried Cotton uses the hound dog as their logo.  Not only is the Hound an iconic sporting dog in the deep south, it is also a great identifier of the Southern Fried lifestyle lived by the owners of SoFriCo.  

MGPALMER

Southern Fried Cotton is a 'Home Grown Apparel Co' inspired by Southern Style. It's the logo on their T-shirts.  Today, the founders of SFC live and work in Clemson, SC with their families.  As they began to raise daughters, Chris, John and Chuck realized they needed a softer side to their line of Southern apparel and, thus, MG Palmer was born.  

See on MG Palmer Website

This side of Southern Fried Cotton was created to inspire and encourage these daughters and all young ladies to be strong, courageous, and always sweet.  

These designs can be found on display in their retail stores in Clemson and in Greenville, South Carolina, and on their website at mgpalmerapparel.com. 

Hats and Accessories

Southern Fried Cotton Company also carries baseball style hats like the one shown in the intro photo, and accessories such as Koozies.



They also carry a line of Sweet Youth clothes for kids.  

Summary

Southern Fried Cotton T-Shirts on Display (c)

We carry many of the Southern Fried Cotton apparel and gift items in our store.  Working there, it has been fun to see how much local customers and our visiting tourists love this brand. 

Related T-Shirt Reviews on Review This!

• Clever Travel Companion Women's Tank Top & T-Shirts with Secret Pockets by Cynthia Sylvestermouse
• Here's an Original Party Idea, Riddle T-Shirts! by Barbara Tremblay Cipak 
• Salt Life Review by Wednesday Elf

  *Southern Fried Cotton apparel review by Wednesday Elf

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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A Review of Sports-Related Soft Toys for Tiny Tots

Plush Sports Throw Pillows

Is dad or big brother or sister a sports fan, or does your family participate in sports?  The littlest family members love to imitate and these sports-related soft toys are just the thing for little brother/baby sister to feel a part of the sports world the rest of the family enjoys.

When a new baby is born, how many times have you heard the new dad say "I'm going to get him a bat and ball and teach him baseball" (or football or basketball).   Or the big brother who plays soccer has a little brother or sister who wants to play too.  


The regular sized sports equipment is too big for little ones to use.  And babies & toddlers need toys that are soft for safety. The sports toy suggestions presented here are just the thing for the smallest family members.

First Sports Bag

This 5-piece playset is recommended for ages 6 months to 5 years

It's never too early to start practicing to be an all-star! Perfect for one of baby's first toys and other younger siblings who want to imitate the big brother or sister who is into ball sports! 

This soft-sided bag includes a soft baseball that crinkles, a basketball that rattles, a soccer ball that boings, and a football that squeaks.   The balls all fit inside a colorful bag complete with touch and close fasteners for secure storage.

Baby Gund My First Sports Bag is a fun stuffed sports-related toy for babies and toddlers.

My First Golf Bag

 

A Sporty Plush Playset for ages one month to 5 years

The next pro golfer in your family can start to practice at an early age with this four-piece playset that has a soft 6" golf bag with touch and close fastener, a plush golf club, a tee and a ball that rattles.

Made by Gund, My First Golf Bag Playset is just what your junior duffer needs to score a (mini) hole-in-one.

First Tackle Box

This plush tackle box toy is recommended for children from 6 months to 5 years

Is grandpa or dad a fisherman?  Kids want to watch when grandpa is tying flies for his fly fishing trip or dad is checking out his tacklebox for a fishing day at the lake.  Give your toddler his very own tackle box that is soft and safe for him to play with while you are working with yours. 

This plush toy tackle box is just the right size for the youngest anglers, measuring about 7" long and 4" high. It also has a handle for carrying around.

Three soft play pieces come with the tackle box and fit inside.  There is a cute plush worm that crinkles, a little blue fish that squeaks, and, of course, a fishing pole.  The fishing pole has a red bobber that has a touch & grab white ring which makes it easy for baby to 'catch' the fish! 

First Tackle Box is a GUND plush playset for the smallest 'anglers'.

Soft Toys by GUND and Melissa & Doug

All three of the soft playsets with a sports theme shown here are made by Gund, a company that has been known as the 'World's Most Huggable' since 1898. For more than a century, GUND has been creating unique teddy bears and other soft toys recognized the world over for their quality and innovation.

The plush basketball, baseball, soccer ball and football shown in the opening photo are sports throw pillows by Melissa & Doug, a well-known company of quality products since their beginning in 1988. Decorate a child's bedroom with these sports pillows, or toss them around as soft ball toys.

It's Holiday Shopping Time!

For more toy suggestions for the children on your shopping list, check out the items in the 'Holiday Gift Guide: Online Shopping Directory' from our Review This! contributors. 




(c) Wednesday Elf 11/26/2016

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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A Review of the Crochet Book "Amigurumi Two"

Discovering Amigurumi Crochet

Amigurumi Two! by Ana Paula Rimoli

I have been a crochet crafter for more than 30 years and love to create plush animals. I began making stuffed toys for my children when they were small, and then for my grandchildren. Today I crochet cute plush critters for children everywhere and feature many in my Etsy Shop.

I love handmade crafts, particularly in the field of fiber arts. Throughout my crafting years I've been familiar with patterns for stuffed teddy bears and cute crocheted cats and fun frogs. Then, as I visited and admired the crocheted creations in other Etsy Shops, I began to see some strange dolls and animals. They called them 'Amigurumi'. I thought they were rather silly looking with big heads and skinny bodies, arms & legs and sometimes with quirky or funny faces on non-animal things like toy hammers or a baseball bat & ball. I thought they were very weird.

The more I looked around, the more I noticed that these strange creations appeared to be very popular. Finally, I had to find out what it was all about. I discovered that Amigurumi is the Japanese art of crochet (and knitting) small stuffed animals & dolls. The technique is also used to give 'personality' to inanimate objects!

And then I fell in love with Amigurumi!

Amigurumi Bunny Girl in Blue (c) Elf

Because of my initial reaction to the style, I didn't become a fan until I finally got around to actually crocheting an Amigurumi-style bunny one day.... and absolutely fell in love with how adorable it turned out. The style began less than 15 years ago (2003) and has no practical use, but is loved because of its Cuteness Factor.

 

Bunny Girl in Amigurumi Crochet

Bunny Girl in Blue is the first Amigurumi animal I created ~ and the one that made me fall in love with the Amigurumi Style of Crochet. I found the pattern originally on the Lion Brand Website.

Golden Bunny Girl Amigurumi Crochet Doll

This is my latest version of an Amigurumi Bunny Girl.  Cuteness Indeed!

New to my Crafting Library

Crochet Toys for Me and You and Baby Too.

Needless to say, my crafting library has now been expanded to include a number of patterns and books of Amigurumi. The one featured here, Amigurumi Two! by Ana Paula Rimoli, is filled with over 25 fun, adorable designs to crochet for babies and toddlers. The author designs her own patterns and has two small daughters who are her inspiration for her toy designs - and are also her quality control kids! Ana also has a shop on Etsy and a website where many of  her designs and pattern books are featured.

About "Amigurumi Two!"

I have had more fun crocheting cute Amigurumi toys from this book. When I'm not crocheting, it's just a fun crochet pattern book to read. The author (and pattern creator) Ana Paula Rimoli prefaces each pattern with personal notes on why she created this pattern based on a childhood memory or something her little girls like or wanted. This book is more than a crochet pattern book; it's as if a fellow crochet crafter was sitting with you discussing the art of Amigurumi crochet and the fun we have with crochet.

Examples of Patterns from the Book 'Amigurumi Two'

 

One example from the 'Amigurumi Two' book is called Little Fish and her Daddy. 

They are two cute colorful plush tropical fish you could create in the color combinations shown here or in your own color choices.  




 

Amigurumi Tropical Fish available on Etsy

The back of the Amigurumi Two craft book, showing more cuties to crochet including an adorable little plush bumble bee.

Baby Bumblebee in Plush

Author Ana Paula Rimoli

The author of Amigurumi Two!, Ana Paula Rimoli, has written a number of craft books and all her creations are adorable.  She currently resides in New Jersey, but is originally from Uruguay.  She thanks her neighbor Marta in Montevideo, Uruguay for teaching her how to crochet when she was little, maybe 6 or 7. Ana says "I  love love love crocheting and making toys."

A Few More of Ana Paula Rimoli's Amigurumi Crochet Books Available for your Craft Library

Do you crochet? What do you think of the Amigurumi style?

• For more book reviews, visit ReviewThisBooks.com.
• Find more crafts at ReviewThisCrafts.com.

 

© 2013 Wednesday-Elf

 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Review of a Tour of a Major League Baseball Stadium

Busch Stadium View

If you are looking for an interesting place to take children on a tour, I would suggest a major league baseball stadium.  In July my granddaughters, age 10 and 12, were visiting us and it was a hot and sticky July summer in St. Louis.  I was looking for an interesting place to spend some time with them when someone suggested a tour of the baseball stadium.

Busch Stadium in St. Louis opened in April of 2006.  This huge stadium has seats for 43,975 people and offers a beautiful panoramic view of the downtown skyline.  Fellow Review This author, Pat, wrote about her visit to the stadium in this article. 

I went online and found information about the tour of Busch stadium and was delighted to find out that tickets  included a tour of the stadium and a visit to the Cardinal Hall of Fame and Museum.

Tour of Busch Stadium

Our tour of Busch Stadium started just outside Gate 3 of the stadium.  This gate has a statue of baseball great Stan Musial just outside the gate and the entrance to the gate is a tribute to the Eads Bridge with a large bridge-like structure arching over the entrance.  The Musial statue is often a meeting place for fans coming to the ballpark.  Here is a photo of my granddaughters and myself by the statue.  You will also note part of the bridge entrance in the background.

The tour of the stadium took about an hour and we visited The Redbird Club, the Champions Club, the broadcast booth and the Cardinal dugout.  Here are some photographs from each of those areas.

 In this photo my granddaughters are sitting in the Cardinal dugout.  It was fun to sit where the Cardinals sit during the games.  It was also fun next time we watched a game on TV to say we had sat there too!

The Redbird Club is an area where fans can buy tickets and enjoy food in an indoor glassed area.

Their tickets also include seats in front of the area to view the game from outside.  It is a nice way to enjoy the game, but also be able to get in from the heat.  One of the walls in the club was very interesting.  It was covered with replicas of oldtime Cardinal baseball cards.

View from the Broadcast Booth

The girls enjoyed seeing the broadcast booth and they were able to sit in the same seats the announcers sit in when they announce the games.

The Champions club is another indoor seating area.  In this club are several of the world series trophies that the Cardinals have won over the years. 

Ballpark Village

Across from Busch Stadium is the newest dining and entertainment district in St. Louis.  This area houses several restaurants along with the Cardinal Hall of Fame and Museum.  The area is being built in stages and in the future there will be more retail along with a hotel and residential opportunities.  There will also be more parking.  Ballpark Village is a "happening" place to be, both during home and away games.  Many fans gather to watch the games on the big screen TV's and enjoy food and drinks in the area restaurants.  We stopped at Cardinal Nation and had lunch before we went to the museum.  We found the food excellent and very reasonably priced.  The photo below shows the girls in Ballpark Village.

Cardinal Hall of Fame and Museum

The Hall of Fame and Museum has something for everyone.  This 8000 square foot museum is packed with over 16000 items of baseball memorabilia and thousands of archived photographs.  My husband really enjoyed looking over all of the memorabilia and the girls enjoyed some of the interactive displays.

Display from Museum

Two of the displays that the girls really enjoyed were the mock broadcasting booth and the display where they could hold actual bats from former and present Cardinal players.

In this photo the girls are trying enjoying trying out their broadcasting skills. They would first watch and listen to a broadcast of an exciting play at a past game, then they would be able to see the play and they would record themselves giving the play by play. When they were finished it would be replayed for them to see how they did. Both girls enjoyed this display.

In this photo, Ella is trying her hand at batting. The display held several bats from Cardinal greats both past and present and a docent was there to hand you one bat out of the case that you chose. You first had to put on plastic gloves before handling the bat. Ella decided to try out a bat from Ozzie Smith.

Postcard from my Photograph

This postcard shows the St. Louis skyline from inside Busch Stadium.

St. Louis Skyline by mbgphoto
Look at St louis arch Postcards online at Zazzle.com

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Summertime Learning Fun

Summertime Learning Fun happens when you spend some time together, exploring our world and answering all those questions that come up.  Like what's that Noise?  

If your children are anything like mine, and I'm sure they are, summertime means adventures.  It means spending a lot of time outdoors.  It means looking for things to do and exploring.  It means turning off the TV or computer games and getting back to nature in the great outdoors.  It could mean swimming every day, or going to the park, or camping.  Where ever you go, there is something to learn about!  

What else can you do?

Summertime opens up a whole new world for our children to learn.  While the kids are looking to 

relax and have fun, they are also looking for something that catches their imaginations or their need to know about their world.  To that end, most families will be spending some very special together time while on holidays. No baseball games, soccer practices, dance classes or other interruptions, just good old family time.     

Learning takes on a whole new meaning when summertime rolls around.  No "textbooks" and no real "agenda" means that learning is done on a whatever crosses my path and intrigues me basis. That can even happen at home too!  As I am writing, I can hear the toads singing in my pond. I need to learn more about them, so when my grandchildren come to visit, I can tell them some things that I'm sure they don't know.

Be Prepared!  

As parents who prepare to take our children on hikes and overnight camping trips, we need to be ready to answer questions that are sure to pop up.  Like "What's that noise?"  Even a trip to the zoo can be filled with questions that need answers.  Be prepared to either answer the questions or make note of the questions and when you are home again, look up the answers  together, so that both you and your child will  have learnt something new and you will have done it together.  This is what makes family memories.  We still laugh at some of the things that happened when we went places with our children. Now they are doing the same thing with their children and telling stories about when they were younger.  It's time to pass on family history as well as having time to enjoy nature.

Playing games with the kids can be so much fun too. We would take ours camping and find that the welcome station had many printouts for educational purposes. We would make the most out of these "handouts". One camping trip, they had a print out of all the birds that nested in the area, with hints for the kids. We would go on hikes and try to spot nesting areas and then spotting the birds too. There were print outs of the different trees and their leaves. We made a collection and even did bark rubbings. Have you ever stopped and looked at all the different types of bark on trees? It is fascinating! When the kids found what they were looking for, they would take a picture to go along with their leaves and bark rubbings, carefully noting the type of tree and all the nuances of it's growth. So much to learn, just from a tree! Birds and reptiles, amphibians and mammals of the area were all duly recorded. If we needed to learn more, a note was made in our notebook to look it up when we got back home. The kids loved their nature hikes, because it wasn't just walking through the woods, it was stopping and seeing what made up those woods. The trees, birds, bugs, flowers and everything that was in our path, was food for our "Discovery Book".


Guide to Free Campgrounds: Includes Campgrounds $12 and Under in the United States (Don Wright's Guide to Free Campgrounds)

So What Can you Do to Prepare for a great Outdoor Adventure?

Well first and foremost, check out the link above, to find some low cost campgrounds. It's a great way to pinpoint where your family will spend some quality time together, without breaking the bank.

This guide will help you look for a place that has some great outdoor adventures, be it hiking in the mountains, camping by a lake, or visiting a beach somewhere new. Go with the eye of an adventurer. Take along a "Discovery Book" a journal where you can make notes, tuck in leaves or flowers, keep a daily diary of what you saw, whether it was birds, bugs, beetles or trees. Answer the questions that you know the answers to and make a note to find the answers to those questions that you don't know the answers to. When you are finished your holiday, you will have a great little diary on what everyone saw and learnt about during your time in the great outdoors.



My Travel Journal

Above all, be ready to have some fun, make some memories and enjoy each others company in the great, beautiful and special outdoors.  Happy Summer Everyone!

Pictures courtesy of Pixaby, free stock photos. 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Opening Day of the 2019 Baseball Season

A Quick Review of the 2019 Major League Baseball Season Openers

OPENING DAY BUTTON

by thehotbutton

The Opening Day of baseball for the 2019 MLB season is Thursday, March 28, the earliest beginning date ever at any traditional Major League ballpark.  This season, all 30 clubs will open on the same day

It's time for the 2019 baseball season!

World Series Champion 2018

 

Available on Amazon

The Boston Red Sox defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games. 

Available on Amazon

Highlights of 2019 in the World of Baseball 

Some of the highlights of the 2019 Major League Baseball season will include:

• March 28, 2019 – Official Opening Day
• April 15, 2019 – Jackie Robinson Day
• July 9, 2019 - 90th All-Star Game, Cleveland Indians Progressive Field
• October 22, 2019 – Scheduled first game of the World Series. 

Baseball is Back!

Bill James Handbook for 2019

This avid 'baseball fan' will be glued to the TV for each moment of these Opening Day games! (I LIVE for this!). 

If you are as 'Crazy about Baseball' as I am, the 2019 baseball season from Opening Day to the last game of the World Series will occupy your time and thoughts for the next 26 weeks.  The joy of baseball has returned!





*Quick Link:

• Reference guide to the complete lifetime stats on every baseball player currently in the majors, available on Amazon. 
• More baseball moments and memories from your 'Baseball Contributor',  Wednesday Elf 

(c) Wednesday Elf

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