DC Metro and Beyond

JumpingJackSports.com
44710 Cape Court Suite #128
Ashburn, VA 20147 (map it)

(703) 858-9901

I have not checked this place out yet but have heard good things. In the meantime, check out their site. If you’ve been there, please share your impressions by leaving a comment below.

Reston Interfaith, Inc.
11150 Sunset Hills Rd. Suite 210
Reston, VA 20190 (map it)
(571) 323-9555

I don’t have much experience with this group, but I am on their mailing list and know they do good work so thought I’d put them out there for folks who are looking for a place to donate or volunteer.

Small Change
1629 Washington Plaza
Lake Anne Village Center
Reston, VA 20190 (map it)
(703) 437-7730

Hours: Tuesday - Saturday, 10 - 5

There’s nothing like a used children’s shop right next to a used book store to draw folks like us! I love visiting Lake Anne and recently shopped at Small Change. I walked in and found exactly what I needed with help from the staff. While there I noticed that they carry a lot of name brand toddler shoes in great shape, but as with any consignment store, it’s best to walk in without an agenda and let serendipity take over.

Please note: Small Change is currently closed and will re-open this July 15.

Campaign for Loudoun’s Future recently sponsored a local foods and farms celebration. American Flatbread, a new restaurant in Ashburn which uses some local ingredients for their pizzas, helped to host the event — which made it into The Post and Leesburg Today.

The kids and I stopped by the event, but I was too wiped out by the heat to write it up when I got home that night. Kudos to the many volunteers, local farmers, and animals who spent the day in the heat to expose the rest of us to some of our local food options. I’d like to say that we learned a lot, but the reality of visiting an event like that solo with two preschoolers is that we spent most of our time at the moonbounce and in the bathroom at American Flatbread. Regardless, fun was had, sheepskins were touched, and we found a new place to eat out. American Flatbread’s service was friendly and quick. You can see the flames in the pizza oven from many of the seats. My children kind of zone out while watching fires, so it makes them more managable in restaurants.

Eagletree Farm & Vineyard
15126 Harrison Hill Lane
Leesburg VA 20176 (map it)
(703) 777-5954

Loudoun Valleys Office of Rural Economic Development says:

Eagletree is a private setting with a personal touch.

These folks are right. Located off Rt. 15 north of Leesburg — you turn off 15 like you are going to Temple Hall Farm and then follow the yellow U-PICK signs — the setting is so private that I at first felt like I was trespassing in someone’s back yard, but that is exactly what makes the picking experience so wonderful.

Eagle Tree’s pick your own blueberries are $4 per pound this year and worth every cent. They are tasty and the experience of picking is perfect. I have been twice and both times it was a serene experience. No chaos, no crowds, no shortage of blueberries… just a nice little family experience and some yummy blueberries to boot.

If you are looking to round out your blueberry picking experience with some literature for little people, check out Robert McCloskey’s Blueberries for Sal. It’s been a favorite since my childhood… so much so that I feel I am shortchanging my children if I don’t manage to hunt down their little metal buckets so that they can hear their blueberries go “Kerplunk!”

I remember trying to find places to shop when we went dairy free, and I have seen many more moms go through the same transition when allergies took over their pantries. Now that we have grown out of our dairy issues I have found the perfect resource. Check out the Loudoun Allergy Network for lists of places to shop, restaurants, and lots of other support!

43546 Partlow Road
Ashburn, VA (map it)

Ashburn (aka Dinosaur) Park made it onto About.com’s best playgrounds in Virginia list. Who knew we were so lucky?

This playground holds a special spot in our hearts as it is one of the first places we visited when Peter was trying to sell me on the prospect of a move here so he could take a job in Ashburn. So, yes, we were the fools who drove straight from the cross country red eye to the playground on a cold, snowy day in February and suggested to our 15 month old that it might be fun to play while we waited for the rest of Loudoun County to wake up… and yes, he did play, and the park did impress me, and we did move to Virginia. My husband is a wise, wise man who knows me well.

My only complaint about this playground is that it might be a tad too big. It’s so big that independent preschoolers can accidentally wander out of sight… This is not an issue if you are only chasing one kid or have kids who listen all the same or if you don’t plan on letting down your guard. And, perhaps more to the point, it is not something that bothers the kids. 

Its a fun, well shaded place to play year round, plus the last time I checked the porta potties were pretty well maintained.

A local mom shared a site with me that could prove useful given all the upcoming summer movie screenings. kids-in-mind.com reviews movies and rates their appropriateness for children. I have looked over the reviews of a few movies we have seen recently and they seem to be accurate and thorough.

Summer Family Movie Screenings:

Regal (throughout the US including Ashburn, Alexandria, Fairfax, Fredericksburg, Manassas, Sterling and many other VA locations) See free movies on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10am. Show up early to get a seat! Click here for Maryland locations, including Frederick.

Tally Ho (Leesburg, VA) $1 Family Classics on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 11am

Please drop us a line if you are aware of other theaters that have similar programs.

ETA: You can also check your local library for summer movie showings. I know LCPL has some scheduled.