Where Have I Gone?

It hit me today that I am slacking. No new events, no new anything...my brain is jello from trying to work from home with usually more than one teenage boy in various states of baseball (at practice, between practice, at training, between training) laying around my house scratching themselves, playing xbox and eating. Throw in an 11 year old who wants a new wardrobe and is obsessed with George Lopez and Eclipse and it is a wonder I am not drooling.

So today I decided to take a walk through the house and figure out what I needed to do to get it in order....join me in the chaos....first of all there are two crumbs of bread in my pantry and a half a bottle of green tea in my fridge (refer back to plural teenage boys). Grocery shopping first on the list.....never mind the 7 cents in my checking account. We must have food.

Moving on....I gathered up my courage and went in my son's room, the one that is housing the eating, scratching, baseball playing teenagers....after I was able to speak in a complete sentence....the end result was 14 popsicle sticks, 4 empty chip bags, I lost count of the Gatorade bottles, dirty dishes and glasses. We won't talk about the dirty laundry....why because that nightmare was across the hall in the normally neatnik daughters room, her door would not open all the way. WHY, you ask....there were 14 wet pool towels behind her door....please deliver me.

Once I stopped hyperventilating I sneaked a look into the bathroom, the cat was perched on the toilet having a drink (apparently toilet water is not just for dogs anymore). There was barbecue sauce stuck to the floor, I am still pondering who was eating barbecue in the guest bathroom, this is a mystery that may never be solved....the banana peel in the trash is also up there on the are you kidding me scale.

The laundry fairy (my mother) has visited a few times this week so there is a myriad of clean clothes and towels(the three that were not behind the door that is) on the dining room table, we have taken to simply helping ourselves to new clothes off the table as opposed to actually putting them away. This means we eat standing in the kitchen...not that it matters when you are having popsicles for dinner.....

When again is it that school starts?

Celebrate the 4th~~Support Cudas Baseball

Right now there is a group of about 40 boys that are spending their summer playing baseball. They are training, weightlifting, practicing and playing double-headers in the middle of our lovely Florida summer. These kids are all ages from 8th grade through high school, they have one thing in common, they love baseball. This program is run by the coaches of New Smyrna Beach High School, it is not paid for by the county or the school, and it is not free.

You can help these kids by coming out to the Walmart parking lot on State Road 44 beginning Monday, June 28th and buy some fireworks. The parents and coaches will be staffing the Fireworks tent 24 hours a day for the next week in an effort to raise enough money to pay for the program. Don't need fireworks, come on by and say hi, meet the players and drop a couple dollars in our bucket. Buy an umbrella or a T-shirt and support your area baseball team.

Go To The Light

 The Ponce Inlet Light that is.....

The Ponce De Leon Inlet Lighthouse is celebrating Independence Week, from July 1st through July 10th (yes, so it is a long week) from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.  The celebration will include family orientated activities and workshops.  Every Saturday in July from 1 – 2 pm you can observe the Canaveral Lens Maintenance Demonstration.  Visit with the Lighthouse Keeper, in living history mode, as he describes his duties at the Lighthouse.  Then join him as he talks about the history of the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse, and demonstrates the maintenance duties on the First Order Fresnel Lens.  This is all included with regular admission and no advance reservations are required. 

Admission is $5.00 for adults and $1.50 for children 11 & under.  The Lighthouse is located at 4931 South Peninsula Drive, Ponce Inlet.  Hours of operation are 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. with last admission to the grounds at 8 p.m.  Call (386) 761-1821 for more information. 

July 4th Celebration

The City of Edgewater will once again be sponsoring the 4th of July festivities for the New Smyrna Beach area. 

The Southeast Volusia Family YMCA and Edgewater Fire Rescue Association are proud to host the fourth annual Fourth of July Family Fun 5K Walk/Run. The 5K begins at 7am and the Kid Dash begins at 8am on Sunday, July 4th. Please call 386-409-9622 for more information on the walk.run. 

At 9:00 AM there will be a dedication ceremony at the recently upgraded George R. Kennedy Park.  The park is named after Edgewater Fire Chief George Kennedy who perished on the 4th of July in 1986 while launching the annual fireworks display.

There will be live entertainment, food and various vendors at Menard-May Park and George R. Kennedy Park beginning at 4:00 PM. At dusk there will be a spectacular fireworks show by Zambelli Fireworks.

For more event information or to inquire about vendor space, please call 424-2445. 

Pizza, Pizza, Pizza

We talked about pizza here last year, specifically pizza in the New Smyrna Beach area. Since that time some new pizzas have joined the scene, so it is time to revisit who has the best pizza! Here are a few of the contenders, and of course my unsolicited opinion on each.

Alberto's  - located in Edgewater I have had pizza there a few times, the pizza was good, a little greasy for me but good, the service the last two times was not great, we waited a ridiculously long time for the food to come.

Big Planet Pizza Pub - this is the new kid on the block, great atmosphere, great service, good food. The first few pizzas we got there were fantastic. Last weekend we ordered to go and they were average. A little pricey for Edgewater but a great place to stop in and hang out.

That's Amore - located in the original Flip Flops building on S. Pine St, I have never had anything here that I did not like, great pizza, great service. They make some interesting combination pizzas that I would never have thought of, they are fantastic.

Stavro's Pizza -  located in New Smyrna Beach it is hard to beat their half price Monday and Wednesday specials, they have a good Greek salad but this is about pizza not salad. Their pizza is tasty and similar to Alberto's in Edgewater.


Mikey's Pizza - located on 3rd Ave in New Smyrna Beach, Mikey's is still one of my favorites. Fresh, fresh ingredients and just plain good pizza. Their service is great and they will remember you after your first visit!

OK, who did I forget? Who is cooking your favorite pizza in Southeast Volusia County? 

Support your local business!

Wine Walk on Flagler

The monthly Wine Walk will be this Saturday on Flagler Avenue beginning at 1:00pm. Taste some great wines in several local establishments. Purchase a pass and choose your wines and locations to sample. Several places including Manzano's will not only have wine but cheese and other food available to sample.

Support your local business!

Hands Across The Sand

Residents and people who love New Smyrna Beach will gather together Saturday, June 26, to draw a literal and metaphorical line in the sand. The risks and dangers of offshore drilling have the potential to bring long-term damaging effects to the shoreline, marine life, and coastal economies along the Gulf and across our nation.

Across the nation, communities will be uniting at noon to portray the same message. Please join with other local residents on the beach in front of Chase’s at 3401 S. Atlantic Ave. Parking is limited so plan to carpool.

More information is available on their website.

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day!

A special mention to my father who is also Grandpa to my children. Also Happy Day to Uncle Rick and Uncle Robby, who are not father's but stand in when they need to. Hope everyone had a great day!

2010 Bike & Bar Tour

This Saturday is the 18th annual New Smyrna Beach Bike and Bar Tour! They started out with 2 bike riders on the first tour and last year there were about 478 riders. Stops on the tour include, but are not limited to, J.B's Fish Camp, Moe's, Chase's, Sea Vista Tiki Bar, Clancy's Cantina, Flagler Tavern, The Breakers and Peanuts. I hear they may stop at Off The Hook and some people end up at Merk's instead of Flagler Tavern. The tour starts at JB's Fish Camp at 11am. They plan to leave JB's around 11:30.

This is a GREAT, FUN way to support your local business!

Around Town~Things to Do

Father's Day Weekend and plenty going on, here are some interesting things to do...

Fathers eat Half Price at Oak Hill Seafood all weekend, they are located at 700 N US HWY 1 in Oak Hill.

Friday, June 18th The First United Methodist Church is holding a Free Family Movie Night it starts at 7pm and refreshments will be provided. The community is invited, you can contact the church for more information 428-4371.

Daytona Cubs are giving away Foam Fingers at their game on Friday night, they will have a fireworks show on Saturday night. (come on you know you want a foam finger)

Seaside Fiesta is Thursday Night night on Flagler Avenue is New Smyrna Beach.

Farmer's Market on Canal Street from 7am-12:30pm.

What else is going on?

Support your local business!

YMCA Summer Splash

If you are looking for something to do this week go check out the Volusia Flagler YMCA. Eight locations will honor this free 7 day pass. If you are in New Smyrna Beach/Edgewater/Oak Hill the YMCA is located at 148 West Turgot in Edgewater, you can take the kids and beat the heat in their great swimming pool or get information on their summer camp programs.

Eco Surf Clinic~Surfrider Foundation

The Volusia~Flagler Surfrider Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation will be holding the

"4th Annual Eco Surf Clinic" Surf To Learn and Learn To Surf

Join them this Saturday, June 19th from 10am-2pm at Ponce Inlet Lighthouse Point Park for a FREE fun filled day for kids as they learn to surf along with an amazing experience wiith "Eco Chad" from the Marine Discovery Center! Eco Chad offers a "hands on" experience as he teaches the kids about ocean conservation!

Drinks and snacks will be provided. Please bring a chair and towel and get ready to have some fun in the sun!

Smyrna Surfari Club

Check out this surf contest on Saturday, June 19th at the Flagler Ave Beach Boardwalk. You can get more information on Smyrna Surfari's website.

Did you know New Smyrna Beach has been chosen as one of the best 10 surf towns in America by Surfer Magazine.

Support your local business!

Flag Day

I love Flag Day.

You can read all about why we celebrate Flag Day above...I celebrate my beautiful daughter's birthday on Flag Day, she was supposed to be born July 26th. She was six weeks early, luckily she was a tough little 5 pounder and never suffered any ill affects from her early entrance....She loves to tell people she was born on Flag Day. She gets some quizzical looks when she reminds people it is Flag Day. Take a minute and celebrate our Flag and what it represents today...Flag Day.

Happy Birthday Miss Samantha!

McCharacters

McCharacters Music Cafe and Sports Bar has opened at the old Stella's Skyline location near the NSB Airport. Their original location is in Palm Coast and is apparently quite a popular place. Here's to hoping they can make this location work as no else has been able too. Last weekend I went by a few times back and forth to Daytona and it was quite busy. Their grand opening will be July 4th weekend. They carry the MLB baseball package and the UFC Fights. I would be interested to hear from anyone who has been there....please comment or send me an email.

Junior Golf Camps

Junior Golf Camps are being held once again in conjunction with Hidden Lakes Golf Club and New Smyrna Beach Golf Club. Mini Camps are on Thursday and Friday, June 17th & 18th and Tuesday and Wednesday, July 13th & 14th. They are from 9am-12pm, $50.00 per child. Weekly Camps are Tuesday through Friday, July 6-9 and July 27-30. These are also 9am-12pm and are $95.00 per child. You can get more information on the registration form including contact numbers to call. Instructors are Rob Schwab, the PGA Director of Golf from Hidden Lakes and Gary Wintz, PGA Course Manager from NSB Golf Course. I know Rob personally and he is not only a great golfer but he is amazing with kids. This is a fantastic camp if you have aspiring golfers or for any child that wants to give golf a whirl. You can also contact Rob directly about group or individual lessons held on Saturdays in July and August.

Seaside Fiesta

The annual Seaside Fiesta will be held this Thursday, June 17th from 5-9pm on Flagler Avenue. This will be the 22nd year this event has been held in New Smyrna Beach. Many of the local businesses will offer special games and activities for the kids and there will be entertainment and plenty of food choices for everyone. Everything from kettle corn to fresh squeezed lemonade. Cheese steak to seafood. There will be entertainment in several areas including Peninsula and Flagler, where several youth groups will perform. Radio Disney will be offering games and activities for kids near S. Atlantic and Flagler. Treats on the Beach will be holding an ice cream eating contest between 630pm and 730pm. The gazebo at Flagler and Pine will feature local favorite Holy Smoke, a Christian band.

This is a fun-filled event for the whole family!

Happy Last Day of School

Summer Vacation starts today for Volusia County Public Schools. Hurray! No more dragging the kids out of bed...what fun things do you have planned this summer? If you are looking for some fun activities to do with your kids all around Volusia County, check out Volusia County Moms. Go back through her posts and you will find all kinds of summer activities from movies to butterfly gardens and beyond.

What are you doing this summer?

St. Johns River Cleanup

Speaking of cleanup, June 12th is the annual St. Johns River Cleanup. There are nine cleanup sites:

Ninemile Point Park, west end of Ninemile Point Road, Pierson
Butler Street Boat Ramp, east end of Butler Street, Astor
Ed Stone Park, 2990 W. State Road 44, DeLand
DeLeon Springs State Park, 601 Burts Park Road
French Avenue boat launch, French Avenue, Orange City
Lake Monroe Park, 975 S. U.S. 17-92, DeBary
Lake Monroe boat ramp, 980 Lakeshore Dr., Deltona
Lemon Bluff boat ramp, 907 Lemon Bluff Road, Osteen
Lake Harney Woods subdivision, end of Boat Ramp Road

Register to help on the Volusia County Website, you can also call Darrell Abrahamson, 386-736-5927, ext. 2424

Ridiculous

If the image of the leaking oil below is not bad enough....take a gander at the link with the pictures of the wildlife. I am running out of places to buy gas. Won't buy Citgo and now won't buy BP. Have driven by the three local BP stations several times in the past few days. The newly remodeled one on US 1 near downtown has not been very busy, the two in Edgewater seem to have traffic. WHY? Yes, I heard they are just selling BP gas, but are local business owners.

Who cares....stop selling BP gas. Look below as over 22 million gallons of crude oil pours into the Gulf....check out the animals. Don't wait til it is coming ashore in New Smyrna Beach to get mad.

Summer Concert Series

The New Smyrna Beach Summer Concert Series begins this weekend in Riverside Park, all concerts begin at 6pm on Sunday evenings. In the case of bad weather they move into Brannon Center. Bring a chair or blanket and come out and enjoy the music!

Concert Schedule

Welcome to Hurricane Season

Today marks the start of the Atlantic Hurricane season. Yippee. Not my favorite time of year. NOAA (National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration) predicts 14-23 named storms, but fear not they have not been right in years. According to Gene Sloan from USA Today some accuse them of "fear mongering" (I love that work "mongering"). Whether or not you believe the predictions, the fact is the Atlantic Ocean is a sand bar away from most of us here in Southeast Volusia County, so it is a good idea to pay attention and be prepared.

Here are some helpful links to assist you in your quest for preparation. My preparation includes one word. RUN. If a hurricane heads our way you will see the back end of my car as I head north. Yes, I am a chicken and proud of it.

WKMG Local 6 has a good tracking page on their website.

NOAA Preparation Guide - tons of links about everything here, the one stop shop for hurricane preparation. (Since they incite fear it is the least they can do)

Last but certainly not least.....if you are in doubt about how to secure your vehicle in the event of a hurricane, The Fail Blog can help!