If you want to see something amazing, just show up at the Essex Edge on a Saturday afternoon to watch the Star Basketball program.  There you will see about 30 children, ages 4-21, with all types of disabilities, playing basketball with over 30 high school mentors assisting the children.  In the stands, the parents, grandparents, and friends of these children cheer them on.  Chris and Leslie Capano check the children in and graciously started this program 4 years ago.  And Mike Feitelberg, who manages the Edge, helps sponsor the program. You will hear clapping, cheering, and positive comments coming from all 3 courts.  You will see mentors and kids giving each other high fives when they make a basket.  You won’t see parents yelling at the coaches, telling their kids how to play ball, or telling their child what they did wrong.  It is all about perspective when you have a child who has special needs.  It doesn’t matter if your kid … [Read more...]

Gonzo's in South Burlington originally opened as a virtual reality golf place.  I envisioned a bunch of guys drinking beer, playing golf, and watching tv- not too high on my places to visit.  Over the years they have added more virtual sports, and they recently added some sort of skiing machine.  Okay, so skiing in a warm room intrigued me for about 5 seconds, but the idea of virtual games had never interested me.  It reminds me of playing the WII, which I dislike. Over vacation we received an invite from the Westbrook family to go to Gonzo's for two hours. Kelcie, our oldest daughter, was psyched to go play at Gonzo's with her father and the Westbrook clan.  I, on the other hand, decided that there was nothing for Kayla to do there so we would stay home. I did a little research about Gonzo's the day we were suppose to go.  I learned about their games and the general atmosphere of the place.  I also found out that the Westbrooks' … [Read more...]

Stupendous Studio! Kayla and I checked out Wildflower Studio in South Burlington on New Year's Day.  We had heard it was a calm and inviting studio that allowed children to explore their creativity and imagination.  The place was bustling with kids and their parents.  Kids were painting, playing in the sand, weaving, building legos, and coloring. Lindsy Blais and Samantha opened this multi-sensory studio for children to explore in South Burlington.  The studio is broken into four areas of play: open art, painting exploration, tinkering, and sensory play.  They offer 6-week classes, which are structured for age appropriate activities and run from 1 hour to 1.5 hours depending on the age of the child.  They also have open studio hours throughout the week for children to explore at their leisure. Wildflower Studio is an incredible place.  Kayla was able to roam freely and explore things at her own pace.  She loved the writing … [Read more...]