Last weekend, thanks to a generous gift from a neighbor, the adults in our house put the calendar aside and played Edmonds Kind of Saturday (late afternoon/evening before hockey practice). After visiting the Puget Sound Bird Fest and seeing a great talk about the Union Bay Natural Area, also known as the Montlake Phil, we headed out for dinner. We parked by the crows and stopped by to say hello to Jen Lawson, the owner we know (and love) on the preschool circuit, before stopping at Edmonds ARTspot. After running into another local mom friend we hadn’t seen in a while, we went outside and saw the absolute best in their window display: fashion plates.

As a kid born in the 70’s, fashion plates and Day to Night Barbie are among the best memories I have of toys. Vintage fashion plates allowed us to take raised shaped rectangular plastic plates of models in different outfits and mix and match body parts with different outfits. Then, before adding color to the design, take something like a sideways crayon on top to capture the outline. A real dream come true for me, in the ARTspot window the settings look the same in the new version.

I love the idea of ​​being able to get a fashion plate for an artist, young or old, but to be honest the main reason I feel compelled to share information is purely fashion. I think it’s for talking about plates and ASMR. Reactions like I remember gliding crayons over the raised lines of the fashionable tops and skirts I chose. And I want to think about something other than figuring out how to pack in all the weekday events coming up at the beginning of the school year. Before, let’s talk about two local options for a night out for parents and kids.

While at the Francis Anderson Center in the City of Edmonds at Birdfest, I saw a flyer for Parents Night Out on Friday, September 23 from 5-8pm. A night out for kids ages 5 to her 10 and $28 for residents. When reading “Student she can enjoy 3 hours of games, crafting, obstacles, building forts, gymnastics and more!” Not only will you have free time, but you will likely find yourself tired at bedtime. For more information and to register, visit RecZone.org.

Then on their mailing list following a birthday party attended by my youngest, High Trek Everett offers Kids Night Out for kids ages 10-15 on Fridays from 5-9pm. Saw a $65 kid spend “four hours having fun with their friends to ensure everything runs smoothly with the High Trek staff.” 4 hours includes refreshments and is divided into ‘4 main activities: rope course and zipline, laser tag, mini golf and camping activities’. The fee is $65 per child. For more information and registration, please visit HighTrekEverett.com.

OK, one more thing before we get into the school-related library information, but very helpful. Stocker Farm in Snohomish has a Kraken-themed corn maze. A member of my crew, especially his one kid, is a huge fan of the NHL team, the Seattle Kraken. A post about this maze was sent to me via his DM on his Instagram. This is how we communicate half the time at the moment and it must be pretty exciting. Stocker Farm will open the next two weekends before opening in October. For more information and tickets, visit StockerFarms.com.

I received an email with the subject line from Sno-Isle Libraries. Back to school resources for students and parents. followed by a reassuring “Remember! Sno-Isle Libraries are here to help students and parents have a great school year.” and this is one of them. With a library card, patrons “unlock access to online tutoring, research databases, test prep materials, helpful videos, free printing, and more.” I was excited to see how-to videos where students explained how to find a free tutor at the library, how to prepare for a big test, and how to help with middle and high school homework. For additional information, visit Sno-Isle.org or call your local library.

— Jennifer Marks

Jen Marx, a mother of two boys in Edmonds, is always looking for a fun place for her kids to go to bed on time when they’re tired.