The highly anticipated debut of Busy Bees Adventures in Scottsdale, AZ took place on October 8th, 2007. Offering classes on Mondays and Tuesdays for the inaugural 6 week sessions, Busy Bees provides behind the scenes access to local Scottsdale businesses. Geared towards children ages 2-5, the emphasis is on fun and creativity, with a little bit of "real world learning" thrown in for good measure.
The very first class took place at Fresh Blenders at Hayden and Indian Bend Rd. Children were given the opportunity to create and sample their very own smoothies. Very special thanks to Nina for being such a wonderful host for the first Busy Bee Adventure! There is no finer smoothie proprietor in the Valley!
The Tuesday session began with a bang as well. Leaving Scottsdale behind, the Busy Bees ventured into downtown Phoenix for a backstage look at The Valley Youth Theater. This wasn't any standard tour, however. The little ones went to wardrobe and donned costumes prior to taking turns on-stage. What an amazing excursion this turned out to be! Very special thanks to Jessica at The Valley Youth Theater for making this wonderful excursion a smashing success. Be sure to catch The Prince and the Pauper which is being performed through 10/28.
Next week's adventures include a trip to the pizza parlor where the little ones create their own pie, and a tour of the Scottsdale Police Department. The children meet a real, live police officer and get fingerprinted. Book'em, Danno!
To learn more, review class schedules or register for the upcoming winter session, please visit www.busybeesadventures.com. No two weeks are the same, and the adventures have just begun!
Paul Slaybaugh is your source for Scottsdale AZ Real Estate, news & events.
ALL ABOARD!
The McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park has been a staple of Scottsdale, AZ since opening to the public in 1975. The 30 acre park sits on land that was donated to the city in 1967 by the Fowler McCormick family. The jewel of the park is the 5/12 (5 inches equals 1 foot) standard Paradise & Pacific Railroad. The train runs year-round, with rides available to visitors every 30 minutes on weekdays, and continuously on weekends during park hours. With assistance from former U.S. Senator Barry Goldwater, the train was actually constructed by the United States Marine Corps as part of a training exercise.
In addition to the fully operational railroad, the park features a variety of additional attractions including a carousel, playground, Western Town play area, authentic railroad exhibits, ramadas for parties/picnics, stage for evening performances, xeroscape arboretum, railroad museum, eating areas, model train clubs, and more. *
Scottsdale Charros Carousel 1907 Magma AZ Railroad No. 6 Engine
Playground Western Town
The park is not just a paradise for the kids, however. It is awash in history for the adults. Exhibits include the 1907 built Magma Arizona Railroad Engine No. 6, which hauled copper from Superior to Magma, AZ for 38 years. The Roald Amundsen Pullman Car was built in 1928, and used for maximum security travel for every president from Herbert Hoover to Dwight Eisenhower. The Baggage Car which currently houses the Railroad Museum was built in 1914 as a sleeping car. It was converted to carry baggage during World War II. The Merci Train was France's "thank you" to the goodwill of the American public. Following WWII, Americans donated goods and materials to fill 250 railroad cars, which were then delivered to war- ravaged France. France commissioned the Merci Train to return the favor. 49 so-called 40 & 8 boxcars (could hold 40 men or 8 horses) full of French treasures were delivered to America as a gesture of thanks. One of the boxcars is proudly on display.*
*All McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park facts courtesy of www.therailroadpark.com
Paul Slaybaugh is a Realtor with Realty Executives in Scottsdale, Arizona. An Arizona native, Paul was raised in McCormick Ranch. He loved riding the Paradise and Pacific Railroad as a child, and he still visits the park every week. Only now he rides the train with his sons, Jack and Wyatt. For more local information, please visit us at McCormick Ranch Real Estate.
"People in every direction ..." - Dave Matthews Band
First and foremost, I would like to thank Dave Matthews for bringing his band to play my party. Granted, there were 20,000 guests in attendance that I did not invite, I still like to think that this performance was arranged just for my wife and me on this our 3rd anniversary.
Cricket Pavilion was the perfect venue. The open air on a beautiful desert night was refreshing. The acoustics couldn't have been any better, and the band was tight. You could tell as soon as they stepped on the stage that they were "on." Long-time fans were treated to favorites such as The Warehouse, Stay, Everyday, What Would You Say, Ants Marching ... the boys even covered Black Water by The Doobie Brothers. As always, in this humble fan's eyes, Boyd Tinsley stole the show. The Devil came down to 'Zona, with Boyd playing the part of Johnny. Anyone who had not had the privilege of previously witnessing this man torture a fiddle were left with jaws firmly on the ground. While every band member is a virtuoso, and Dave Matthews himself is as gifted as they come, Boyd's solos brought down the house.
If there was a downside to the evening, it was the nearly comical lack of traffic control. We sat in an intractable mess of automobiles about a mile away from the entrance for over an hour. There was not one policeman nor event staffer directing traffic. Not one. The only traffic control was on-site. After exiting the freeway at 6:45, we did not exit our vehicle until nearly 8:30. While we missed only a couple of songs from DMB's set, I was absolutely fit to be tied. I was equally excited about seeing the opening act. Stephen Marley is on a leg of his first major tour as a solo artist (I have seen him as a member of Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers). I had my head outside of the window, craned towards the stadium, desperate to catch a little of his set ... but to no avail. Ironically enough, there is a track on his debut album called The Traffic Jam. I'll say. Fortunately, Dave Matthews Band was so outrageously good on this evening, that the setback proved to be minor.
So a very big thank you to Dave and his band of merry mates for a special evening that reminded my wife and me about being a couple, not just a couple of parents.
For those interested in catching this amazing show, check this site for the remaining tour dates: http://tourdates.davematthewsband.com/
Paul Slaybaugh is an Arizona native, and Real Estate agent in the greater Phoenix area. For local information, events, and all things Real Estate, please visit Scottsdale AZ Real Estate, or email paul@rayandpaul.com.
New Children's Activity Group in Scottsdale! (Update)
As followers of my blog already know, my wife has started a new business based around activities for Scottsdale children, ages 2-5, and their parents. Busy Bees Adventures was created with the goal of introducing little ones to the behind the scenes action of favorite local merchants as well as community resources. While a good portion of the last month has been spent arranging a schedule for the inaugural 6 week sessions, I am pleased to announce that it is now set!
Examples of activities that you and your children will take part in (depending on which session you sign up for) include a tour of a local fire station, fingerprinting at the Scottsdale Police Department, backstage visit to the Valley Youth Theater, visit to a Scottsdale children's photography studio, helping create a work of art at Edible Arrangements, going behind the counter at Cold Stone Creamery to make their own ice cream concoctions, and many more!
As a stay-at-home mother of two little boys, my wife's idea sprung out of boredom with the standard gym classes, walking groups and play-dates. For high energy children and the sake of her own sanity, she decided that variety was the key. Providing an environment for kids and parents alike to learn about their community while having fun, Busy Bees Adventures was born! Catering to single income families, special consideration was given to affordability. Each 6 week session includes one class per week (approximately 1 hour) for a total cost of only $75. To learn more about Busy Bees, including a complete schedule and online class registration, please visit www.BusyBeesAdventures.com
Sessions begin on October 2nd. Space is limited, so please reserve your place today!
As many of you who follow my blog already know, I am married with 2 boys. Jack is nearly 2 years old, while Wyatt is 5 months. My wife, Brandi, stays home with them.
Our little Busy Bees
Our older son, Jack, is an absolute handful. He climbs on everything, destroys everything, claims ownership of everything. In short, he is a boy. While he has been enrolled in Little Gym, My Gym, Water Babies, etc, he quickly bores with the monotany and requires additional diversion. One thing that always excites him is running errands with his mommy. What is mundane for adults can often be an adventure for little ones.
This got my wife thinking. If he enjoys such seemingly uneventful visits to local businesses, imagine how much he would love it if the proprietors would let him go behind the counter or take a tour of their store?
And thus, Busy Bees Adventures was born! For Scottsdale parents looking for that unique activity group for their children, where every meeting is at a different venue. Parents have walking groups and children have play dates, but the goal of Busy Bees is to provide a fun, learning environment for kids (ages 2-5) and parents alike. Local merchants are currently being added, and sessions are scheduled to begin in October!
For scheduling, general information and registration, please visit http://www.busybeesadventures.com/
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Scottsdale AZ Real Estate: A Slaybaugh family tradition since 1974! We haven't sold every home in the Valley, but we're working on it!
A native of Scottsdale, Arizona, I grew up in the planned community of McCormick Ranch. As a second generation Scottsdale Real Estate agent, I make my living selling the area I love. To this day, I place special emphasis on the McCormick Ranch Real Estate market in particular. After receiving a degree in criminal justice from Texas Christian University, I joined my father, Ray, in the industry in 1999. My company, Realty Executives, has been the top producing broker of residential Real Estate in Arizona since 1972 in every category that matters: total sales volume, total transactions, transactions per agent, luxury home sales ... you name it! Within the company, my wonderful clients have helped me achieve the prestigious 100% Club Award for production in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007. It is not about the numbers, however. I tackle each new client and transaction like they are the only ones I have. I have unique local knowledge and drive. I did not come to the profession late in life as a career change or form of semi-retirement. This is the only profession I have known, and my clients get a great mix of experience and vigor. As a relatively young man with a burgeoning family, I am still growing my business. You can expect to get my very best as I envision selling my clients several properties over their lifetimes, and referring their friends and relatives as well.
In the rare times that I am not working, I am doting over my sons, Jack and Wyatt, with my wife, Brandi. When I had a personal life, I was a collegiate soccer player, music lover, aspiring/dabbling writer, and martial arts enthusiast. I change diapers now.
Please visit my site for more information about our services or to search for homes in Scottsdale AZ!
Specializing in all facets of Paradise Valley, Phoenix and Scottsdale AZ Real Estate.
Don't just take my mother's word for it, here's what Arizona home buyers and sellers have to say about me!
"Paul came recommended to me from a co-worker of mine. She swore he was the most patient realtor she had ever worked with. When I was looking to buy a home in North Phoenix/North Scottsdale area, Paul was all that and more. We must have seen 40 houses. What I appreciated more than his patience was that he truly wanted to find us a house we loved, not just make a quick sale. He had our best interest at heart. I am happy to say that he found me and my wife a home we love!" -Corey Loucy
"Yes- you were great! Greg and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend you to friends that were buying or selling. One of the things that impressed us about you is that you werent trying to push your own agenda in terms of places or prices. You had done your research and were very knowledgable about every place you took us. We were in a time crunch to find a place and you were very flexible and accommodating. You took care of a lot of the "details" and made it less hectic on us throughout the whole process. And, darn it, you're just such a nice, likeable guy!" -Greg and Amy Brill
"In April 2006 we spontaneously bought a new home prior to selling our existing house. The real estate market in general had slowed considerably and we had a few sleepless nights wondering if we would be able to sell our existing house prior to the close of escrow on our new house. We had talked with Ray & Paul previously about selling our house, but we were never quite ready. So, when we called Ray and told him what we had done he immediately prepared a market analysis to determine a market value range for our house. Ray and Paul both counseled us on what was going on in the market and gave us some suggestions regarding how to price our home given our needs. Ray and Paul understood our position and helped us arrive at an asking price that would be attractive to buyers and yet fair and acceptable to us. We received two offers. Paul negotiated the offer we eventually accepted, which was at our asking price. ... We can say that our experience with Paul and Ray's real estate services and results far exceeded our expectations and we appreciate them for their real estate knowledge and being there through the whole transaction. We would highly recommend their services to others. They would be the first people we would call if we needed to buy or sell real estate in Arizona." -Dave & Barbara
I just wanted to take a moment to send my sincere thanks to you for the job you did selling my home. I was extremely impressed by your work ethic and professionalism through the entire process. The AZ market is a tough one to price right and the hard work you put into sales research, finding the right comps, and analyzing market curve placed it right where it needed to be to get the home sold quickly and get the margin I was looking for. I was also impressed at how quickly the deal was put together even though I was out of town and signing documents via fax and email! So thank you so much for everything. I intend to do all of my future AZ real estate business through you! -Jason de Queljoe
"Ray and Paul sold two homes for us and we would enthusiastically recommend them to anyone. They guided us through every step of the process and helped us to achieve top dollar for our properties. They really care about their clients and are a pleasure to work with."
-James S. Collofello
"Jenn and I enthusiastically recommend Paul Slaybaugh to anyone who wishes to purchase or sell a home in Phoenix. We worked with Paul to purchase our new home and sell our condo. Throughout the entire buying/selling process we were very impressed with Paul's knowledge and his responsiveness. He helped us work through the mortgage process and assisted in setting realistic expectations for the home we wanted to purchase. Paul listened patiently to us and learned our likes/dislikes as we visited several properties. In the end, the home we purchased with Paul exceeded our expectations and the condo we sold brought a strong sales price. Even now, a year after the purchase of our home, Paul continues to be a resource whenever we have questions. At no point in working with Paul will you ever feel like you're just another sale. It is no surprise that Paul was recommended to us from a very successful realtor-friend in Southern California who uses Paul exclusively to purchase investment properties in the Phoenix area." -Rob and Jenn
"I met Paul through his sister and he was a fantastic realtor! He was very patient with me as a nervous first-time homebuyer. He took the time to explain things to me and helped make the whole transaction go smoothly. I told him exactly what I was looking for in a home and he found it after only a week! I have been living in my dream home for four years now and I couldn't be happier! I would highly recommend Paul to anyone looking for their perfect home!" -Lisa McCandlish
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