A Military Friendly Guide to Exploring Pittsburgh

Since coming to Pittsburgh just last Summer we've had to adjust to living in a different part of the country. Moving and traveling isn't new to us, but it does take a while to get adjusted to a new place to call "home." Our first Summer in Pittsburgh, though we had many days of great weather, was spent house hunting and exploring the area for the best neighborhoods and schools. This Summer we've been able to explore and enjoy a lot more of the city's outdoor activities. Many of which offer great military discounts;) Take a look at some of our favorites below!

• Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium
The zoo offers FREE entry to any active duty military member everyday with a photo ID! While this is a great deal, it doesnt include the whole family. So we purchased a very reasonably priced Family membership for only $85. This includes 2 adults, and 2 kids and is good for one year from the purchase date. This is probably one of the places we visit the most. On a nice day, we pack our lunches and head to the zoo, our son loves it! It has more than paid for itself, considering single admission is $14! 

• Children's Museum of Pittsburgh
During the Summer months between Memorial Day to Labor Day, the Pittsburgh Children's Museum offers FREE admission to military families and up to four additional guests. This is part of the Blue Star Museum program that many museums nation-wide take part in. This is a great way to keep your kids busy in the Summer, and keep them engaged. Also a great way to check out museums in your area before choosing to buy those yearly passes.

• Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Another one of my son's favorites! He loves to see all the dinosaur bones and even dig for bones himself in the children's area. This museum also participates in the Blue Star program. They also offer great family memberships that include access to the Carnegie Science Center and the Andy Warhol Museum.

• Frick Park-Blue Slide Playground 

Out of the several parks that we've visited around Pittsburgh, this is one of the whole family's favorites. It's a great place to take the whole family including the dog. With a large off-leash area and several wooded trails, there are several options for exploring and hiking. My son's favorite part is the popular Blue Slide which he can slide down for hours. Unlike any other playground slide, this is great fun for all ages. Just dont forget to grab a piece of cardboard to sit on as you slide down. 

 

 

• Idlewild and Soakzone

We made our first trip here this Summer and the whole family had a blast! It's definitely a must for Western PA residents. Giant Eagle has some great sale days throughout the Summer, such as "buy one, get one tickets" and even a car load deal. Just pay $99 for a carload of up to 8 people to get in the park making it less than $15 per person! They also offer $8.00 off the regular admission price of $29 for Active Duty Military members. Don't just trust my opinion, Idlewild has been named "Best Kid's Park in the World" and "Best Park for Families" several years in a row!

 

• Triple B Farms

The local farms aren't just for the Fall. Triple B Farms, among many of the other local farms in Western and Central PA have great Summer festivals and Summer Day Camps for the kids. There is always fresh produce to pick yourself, or available for purchase in their market. Check their website for their harvest schedule and activities. Don't forget to come back in the Fall!

 

• Spray Parks

This is such a great way to cool off and have fun during the Summer, and the best part is that they're FREE! I grew up in the hottest, smallest, most rural desert valley of Southern California. And even though the beach was only an hour and a half drive away, I wish we had other ways to stay cool locally. There are several of these fairly large spray parks throughout the Pittsburgh area, and some just recently built. Pack a lunch, grab the sunblock and towels and spend your afternoon at the spray park. Check the Pittsburgh Citiparks website to find a spray park in your neighborhood.

• Baseball/Football Games 

You can't come to Pittsburgh without heading to a ball game of sorts. Whether you go to a Steeler's game at Heinz Field, or a Pirate's game at PNC Park you're bound to have a good time. PNC Park is a great family stadium and has a great view of the city. Not to mention the Pirates are currently in first place which should ensure a good game! As a Steeler's fan, I may be a little biased when I say there's nothing like going to a Steeler's game, but there really is nothing like going to a Steeler's game! Because tickets can get pretty pricey, I recommend checking StubHub or other ticket exchange sites to purchase tickets. We have found some great deals AND great seats, especially for pre-season games. 

*Just a reminder if you can't make it to a game, don't forget to check out the FREE Steeler's Summer Training Camps in Latrobe. Great opportunity to see the players practice up close, and possibly get some autographs. (My son got Troy Polamalu's autograph, yes I might be bragging a little) :) They also have several activities and games for the kids to play and enjoy. 

Whether you're a Pittsburgh native or just visiting the area, you can be sure to have a good time enjoying a few of our favorite activities just mentioned. We've only lived here a year, so we are always looking for new things to do and new places to explore! 

 

 

Do you have a favorite and inexpensive place to visit in Pittsburgh? Please share your favorites, I'd love to hear your feedback!

Family Hike at Frick

We recently had a few days of ugly, rainy, stormy weather here in the Burgh. So I was thrilled to finally have a warm weekend to spend outside. The boys and I decided to take a little hike at one of my favorite Pittsburgh parks, and one of the largest parks in the area Frick Park.

We took our one year old Puggle, grabbed the camel pack, piled on the sunscreen and headed out the door. When we got to the park, we filled up a jug of water for Steele (our dog) and started on the Lower Riverview trail, (which I've hiked before alone) and just kept walking. 

We walked through wooded areas and lots of uneven territory. We eventually came up to another trail, that I'd not hiked before... and of course, my husband was feeling adventurous so we kept on. 

 

After what felt like several miles of walking, we realized we didn't exactly know how to get back to our starting point. I LOVE hiking, and being outdoors, but the frustration definitely kicks in a little quicker when you're hiking with a kid, a dog, and a thrill-seeking, know-it-all husband who navigates us through the most wooded of paths.

We saw a snake during this hike, and more large spiders than I have ever seen in my life. No way was this similar to our most memorable hikes in Hawaii when we were rewarded with GORGEOUS picturesque views, and waterfalls, I couldn't help but keep thinking.

Any who, after 2 hours of walking, changing course, and backtracking we finally made our way out. And I swear we had to have walked nearly 5 miles. I let go of my frustration and most definitely had to give props to our son Aiden who hiked all on his own, with minimal complaining. And what was even more surprising, after the hike he STILL had enough energy to check out the playground and test out the popular big "Blue Slide." 

 

A few things I learned from this hike;

1. do NOT wear Nike Frees on a hike! I felt every single rock with each step and I now have blisters on my feet and toes. :(

2. Wear some sort of bug repellant. I normally try to avoid things with chemicals and harsh ingredients so I found an interesting DIY recipe from the Curious About Health-blog to make your own, or you can use one of those clip on ones.

3. No matter how much you PLAN, PREPARE, and PREVENT, things will rarely EVER go according to plan. What is important is how you handle and learn from each situation despite the small obstacles and frustrations!

 

I have to say, overall we had a great day and another great adventure to add to our list of memories! Until our next hike :)

Couldn't fit Steele in this pic... and this was before the mild complaints and frustration. ;) 

Checking out the Big Blue Slide after the hike

Catching up... Summer Time!

I've been away for far too long. This is a much needed personal update and blog post. Ahh, it's finally Summer now and we are definitely trying to enjoy the warmer temperatures. After going through our first Pittsburgh winter I have to admit, I've never craved sun more than now!

I've been keeping pretty busy with my tutu business Maddie Bear's Tutus. I have my Facebook page up and running along with the Etsy shop. Things aren't perfect yet, but I've had a great response and customers have responded in a such a positive manner, that it only encourages me to continue.

With my son Aiden out of pre-school on summer vacation, I've also been keeping him busy just as he's kept me on my toes. We've been doing many of the parks around Pittsburgh, going swimming, baseball games, children's museum, zoo, festivals, etc. He also recently attended Vacation Bible School at the church/school we attend. Not to mention all the sports he plays, SHEESH! He's busier than me and has a bigger social circle than I do.

One of our most recent outings was when he headed down to Point State Park for the Three Rivers Regatta on the 4th of July. It's was such a perfect day, sun was out, the rain (surprisingly) stayed away, and we got to see an amazing fireworks show! This was our 2nd Independence Day in Pittsburgh and we've had a blast each time!

Among the fireworks were BMX shows, (which the kid loved) boat races, dog shows, many yummy food vendors, and the fountain that seemed to be the [2nd] main attraction. Our last minute decision to head downtown seemed like a good one because, our part of town on the East end stormed pretty badly! :( Here's to quick thinking!  

The Summer is quickly passing and we will continue to enjoy it in the weeks to come. Until next time, stop wasting time and head outside! 

The longest fireworks show ever (at least that we've seen) :) 

Aiden and Daddy having a snack. 

Watching the boat races from the bridge. 

The 3 of us. 

-Yvonne Copeland 

Maddie Bear's Tutus FREE tutu contest!

FREE TUTU CONTEST!
This contest is for a FREE custom made tutu skirt from Maddie Bear's Tutus. (excludes dresses, premium glitter and animal print tulle) Winner IS responsible for shipping cost of $2.50. Must claim and pay via PayPal within 48hrs of announcement.

To get your entry all you have to do is:
1.) "SHARE" this status on your wall to your friends. (I will be checking shares;) )
2.) Come back to this Facebook post and leave a comment letting me know that you've shared. You will have a number corresponding with the order of your comment. (ex. 1st comment is number 1, 5th comment is number 5 and so on)
3.) You must "LIKE" my page to enter.
4.) Tell your friends to join!

Contest will END this Sunday at 11pm EST! Winners will be picked randomly via random.org and will be announced according to your number. You will have 48 hours to respond or your winnings will be forfeited. Thank you all and GOOD LUCK!



hosted by Yvonne Copeland, creator of Maddie Bear's Tutus.

A Princess Easter Dress

Finished up another Easter dress today for a fellow Navy wife. My first one was one that I made for my 4 year old niece Maddie. This particular one used a variety of bright and pastel colored tulle vs the original one which was made of pastel organza.

(Pictured above is the 2nd Easter dress)

 The original organza made dress was mostly a test of what varieties of material I'd be able to work with, talk about a bit of a failure. Had I really known what organza was I would've initially decided against it. It was too difficult to work with and just frayed way too easily.
 

(Maddie modeling my 1st [organza] Easter tutu dress)

The dress that I finished up today is a Full-length dress, meaning it will be no shorter than ankle length and was made with 2 layers of North American flame retardant tulle. I used lavender, shimmery pink, light yellow, and Tiffany blue. The 3 flowers across the chest are hand sewn to the 2 1/2 inch lavender crocheted top. I used 3 colors of ribbon for the straps which go over the shoulders and tie in the back to the lower portion of the crocheted top. These colors are VERY Spring-like and perfect for Easter! Glad to hear mommy and little princess LOVED this dress!

If you like and are interested in any of my tutus please stop by my Facebook page and give us a "LIKE"

Birthday/Cupcake Tutu For a Special Birthday Girl

Today I shipped my first official and paid for order! Excited that people have been responding pretty well and interested in my dresses. I mean, I haven't gotten too many orders yet, but there have been several inquiries. That's good right?! The word has been spread pretty quickly and I've received a lot of positive comments. This particular dress was ordered by a cousin of mine for her niece who will be turning 4 this month! This was a custom order, and the colors are very bright and reminiscent of Spring. I can't wait to see more pictures of her wearing it on her special day! If you're interested in any of the dresses please visit and "LIKE" my Facebook page! 

Newfound Creativity

Well, it's after 1:00 AM and I'm still awake, thanks to this time change (which I'm NOT complaining about). I'm pretty thrilled to announce that I recently added a new hobby to my schedule. I'm very excited about it and look forward to what this will bring. I started my own small Tutu business. I'm offering custom made tutu dresses and skirts for girls of all ages.

I started this little project as a way to make something special for my niece who lives across the country. She is one of the few little girls in my family and finding a way to make her feel like a princess was very important to me. If you're interested in these tutus no matter what part of the country you're in, or just want to browse, stop by my Facebook page! Thanks for your support, wish me luck!

Time continued...

Me again... Last time I started carrying on about "time" and how I feel about time, so now it's what I do with my time. I seem to have a little more of it (to myself) now that Aiden is in pre-school, but my days still go by too quickly. I love spending time with my son, I'd do it everyday if I could, heck I did it for 4 years! Do I get tired of it? No. Do I ever get annoyed? Umm, ok maybe sometimes but I wouldn't have it any other way!

My son is like many other kids; smart, funny, active, mischievous, playful, conniving, sweet, rambunctious etc... I try to give my time to him basically. teaching him, guiding him, learning ways to express ourselves, and BEing ourselves! I try utilizing his childhood by doing things I never got the chance to do. I'm not going to pretend I had it rough because I didn't, but that's a whole different topic. Despite me absolutely loving my time with Aiden, I've actually been able to use this extra time trying to find myself. Something I gave up after becoming a mom was myself.

Being myself and finding myself helped me discover a slightly creative side. This is something I'd never think I could have. I'm still working on fine tuning and perfecting it but it's there! I haven't had a "job" in nearly 5 years, and even with limited schooling but YES, even with a degree too it's been tough trying to get back in the work force. The thought of working from home, on my own time, creating my own schedule is rather enticing! What better way to start working, making a little money, still enjoying family time and freedom than to work for myself?! This is a new adventure, scary and exciting and all I can do is hope for the best! Wish me luck guys, this is a mom on a journey to be better! Better for her son, husband, society and myself! :)

Hello!

Hello! It's me, Yvonne. I'm pretty new to this whole "blogging" thing, so forgive me if I ramble in the beginning and we'll see how long this lasts. It's a new year, new me... hey it's 2013! Times have changed so I better get with the program.

Well, it's March and a lot has happened recently (at least it feels like it). I'm currently living in Pittsburgh, PA. I've been here nearly a year, and still getting used to the changes. My family and I are from the desert in Southern California. My husband is in the Navy and we have a 4 year old son named Aiden. You've probably already guessed that the reason we are in Pittsburgh is because of the Navy, well you've guessed correct! I can elaborate on Navy life but I'll save that for another day. 

We're still getting acclimated to the community and trying to "fit in." Meanwhile, our son is halfway thru Pre-school now and I can hardly believe it! We all hear the sayings about time too often, but I never really knew the true understanding of time and its value until our son was born. I am currently a "stay at home" mom. Meaning I stay home all day [sarcasm, if you didn't catch that] I just had a birthday, 26 sounds young but doesn't really feel like it when you've started to understand the concept of time as I just mentioned.

 

My time is more valuable to me being spent enjoying the little time we have available. What defines "LIFE" [to me] is how you spend your time. A favorite quote of mine is "Time you ENJOY wasting is not time wasted." Um exactly! The same guy, the great John Lennon also said "Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans." Mean anything to you? Over time I've come to realize how "free-spirited" I really am... not in a hippie way but new places and new things have taught me a lot about myself. Things I never could've learned in one single location alone. Despite the constant changes we have gone through as a family, we always learn something new, experience something new, and have a new memory of the times we've spent together. I want my son to understand this concept and how valuable it really is. 

Seems this "new" me sure carries on a lot huh? This is just me, trying something new, discovering myself, spending time and trying to make time. Just hope this will encourage you to stop what you're doing, relax, listen, explore the world, and feel how much more enjoyable life can be when you're enjoying the time you spend!... To Be Continued. :)