Jersey Shore Pirates is still operating on the weekends and they once again offered up their vessel as the backdrop and theme of our cover this month.  The Brown kids got all decked out in their pirate gear for us.  Kailyn, Cash and Nixon showed us their ahoy matey smiles and donned awesome adventure hats.  Great job guys!  And thanks again to Rob and Jessica for their hospitality!

Although the temperatures are dropping and the days are getting shorter, I’m still out on-location shooting!  There is still time for portraits at the beach, or you can take advantage of fall foliage which peaks in late October and early November.  The vibrant colors serve as an awesome backdrop for family photos.  We can turn any of those images into a wonderful holiday greeting card to send out this season.  I have many designs and styles to choose from!  And remember, portraits make GREAT gifts for the holidays.

My job as a portrait photographer is so rewarding and fun.  It is wonderful to be able to do what you love and have others love what you do! While we all lead busy lives, I feel it is vital that we take the time to preserve memories and celebrate the love of family.  I really hope to hear from you while the weather is still nice as I love to shoot on location as long as possible.

Once the calendar flips to October, it officially starts to feel like fall and many families make plans to celebrate Halloween with their children.  These days, the spooky and festive holiday is not just limited to one day of trick-or-treating on October 31.  From parties and parades to pumpkin patches, there are many activities for your family to participate in throughout the entire month.  This year though, why not go for something different?  Maybe a thrilling adventure to celebrate the Halloween time of year?  If your kids love to be creative and to use their imaginations, then set sail with Jersey Shore Pirates and make it one of your family’s new October traditions.

The Jersey Shore Pirates vessel, Sea Gypsy 2, sails from Riverfront Marina, on Princeton Avenue in Brick, and will be trimmed in ghoulish skeletons, cobwebs and other scary, spooky decorations to commemorate Halloween.   Upon arrival, kids will be welcomed by enthusiastic staff members who will assist the children in selecting a perfect pirate costume.  The little mates will then receive their very own pirate names, learn some valuable pirate lingo, and also have the opportunity to get their faces painted with pirate “tattoos.”  Before the kids head down to the dock for their trip, the staff will remind the children to keep a look out for “enemy pirates” in the area.

The Sea Gypsy 2, which sails down the Metedeconk River and is Coast Guard certified, will thoroughly engage and captivate your children as they search for treasure.  Owners of the company, Rob “Captain Scurvy” Corring and his wife Jessica “Jezebel,” have prior experience with boating and buccaneers and have created a true-to-life pirate ship adventure.  Before they set sail, the kids will listen to a few rules about water safety, which is of utmost importance to the Jersey Shore Pirates staff.  The kids will then hoist the ship’s flag and begin their journey.

Mother of two, Stacie Harkavy has two daughters who cannot get enough of treasure hunting.  They have taken the pirate voyage multiple times and have immensely enjoyed every trip.

“My girls absolutely love Jersey Shore Pirates and I do as well,” says Harkavy

who lives in West Long Branch.  “We even hosted a fundraising event with them.  We enjoy everything about it.  One of the best parts is being out on the water and enjoying the beautiful scenery along the way.  My younger daughter really enjoys the experience because she truly thinks she is one of the pirates!  Searching for the sunken treasure is one of the trip’s highlights for the girls.”

While the kids are looking for treasure aboard the ship, the crew members narrate the adventure with pirate lingo and facts.  The little ones have an opportunity to fire water cannons, find sunken treasure, and then engage in a battle with “Pirate Pete” who has stolen the keys to the treasure.  The hour and fifteen minute long action-packed excursion also features rules of the Sea Gypsy pirate ship, the chance for children to read a treasure map, and the opportunity to discover a secret message in a bottle.  Harkavy says these activities keep the kids busy from the moment they arrive to the time the ship pulls in to the dock.

“Jersey Shore Pirates captures the imaginations of the kids,” says Harkavy. “It’s amazing how they are thoroughly engaged for the entire trip. It is such an interactive experience for everyone.  I always see the adults laughing and enjoying themselves just as much as the kids.  In fact, since it’s such a wonderful experience, I usually bring my family members who come to visit the Jersey Shore area every summer.  The kids love to go on the adventure as a large group, with all of their cousins.  The pirate theme is so well done that it’s a great time for everyone involved.”

At the conclusion of the ride, children will be treated to authentic pirate “loot” as a souvenir of their journey.  At the dock, there are other opportunities to remember all of the fun and good times.  Harkavay says her kids can’t get enough of the gift shop.

“Every time we sail, there is another cool pirate toy or accessory that my daughters want to have,” says Harkavy.  “Picking up a souvenir is a nice way to end our day and remember our trip.”

The Jersey Shore Pirates adventure is geared toward children ages 5 to 10.  They sail from May-October and are available for birthday parties, class trips, and families.  During October, they sail on Saturdays and Sundays only, with six different sailing times to choose from.

For more information, visit their website at www.jerseyshorepirates.com or call 732-899-6100.  Reservations are highly recommended and it is suggested that you arrive 30 minutes prior to sailing times for check-in, face painting, and dress-up.  If you would like to plan an entire day of family fun, consider arriving even earlier to play at Windward Beach Park or pack a picnic lunch to enjoy the beautiful waterfront scene at Riverfront Marina.

If you and your family enjoy the traditional Halloween festivities, like carving pumpkins and dressing up in costumes, but have been searching for a new and different way to celebrate the holiday, consider Jersey Shore Pirates for your next family outing.

No matter where she goes, she frequently hears the same comment from strangers in passing.

“Oh my, that woman sure does have her hands full!”

However, Honoree Brown wouldn’t have it any other way.  The mother of four couldn’t imagine her life without the little ones keeping her busy.

“I love my family and all the work that goes with it,” says Honoree.  “Although a break every now and then is nice though!”

Honoree and her husband Thomas are not originally from New Jersey, but have grown to really like the Jersey Shore area and all that it offers for families. The couple moved here from Oregon about 10 years ago and started Point Pleasant Parasail.  Then the children started to arrive one-by-one and it became quite a challenge to run the company properly while raising a young family.  Recently, they decided it was time to move on and sold the business to one of their long-time employees.

“It was bittersweet letting it go, but we know we made the right decision,” says Honoree.

Even without the business, both Honoree and her husband have plenty of activities and commitments to keep them busy at all times.

“Thomas is a full-time college student, a medic in the New Jersey National Guard, a NCAA soccer official, a USCG licensed captain who has worked in the parasail industry for over 20 years, and is most importantly, a great dad,” says Honoree.  “My number one job is the kids.  When we had the parasail business, I spent a lot of time doing paperwork so it’s very nice to have that off my shoulders and just be able to focus on the family.  I homeschool our children and though I’m far from being the ideal teacher, I truly love it and the rewards that come from it.  I find out about many activities for homeschooled children through the Shore Homeschoolers group that I recently became a part of.  I’m also the Primary President at my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.   I oversee the Sunday schedule for those children who are 18 months through 11-years-old.  We occasionally plan activities that benefit the youth and the community as well.”

Your Child Today recently had the pleasure of speaking to the Brown Family and this is what they had to say:

YCT: Tell us a little about your family and the personalities of each of your children.

Honoree:  We have four children: Kailyn (7), Cash (5), Nixon (3) and Schatzi (6 months).  Kailyn is our wild child.  She’s all about fun but is an awesome big sister and a great helper to me.  She loves to swim, play outside, and make crafts.  Cash is a little more reserved.  He loves to fish, play basketball, ride his scooter and help me cook.  Nixon is our silly one.  He enjoys Legos, watching “Tom and Jerry” on television, and loving his baby sister. He also loves any and all things superhero.  Schatzi loves to be hugged and kissed and she’s great at just being a sweet baby.  They are all really terrific kids.  They help with many of the chores around the house, such as cooking, folding laundry, unloading the dishwasher, vacuuming, washing windows, feeding the chickens, and cleaning their rooms.

YCT: What is an average day like in your house?

Honoree:   Things are pretty laid back at our house.  We get up and around 7:30 am and have breakfast.  Since we homeschool, we don’t have the burden of a tight schedule which is very nice.  Next, we usually do a quick clean-up before starting our learning.  Most days we can finish our learning by lunchtime.  That leaves the rest of the day for family time and field trips to the library, museum, park, aquarium, or other fun, learning activities.  In October, the kids will be starting a homeschool gym class at Good Sports in Wall.  They all love to swim as well, so we’ll probably be visiting the Toms River YMCA frequently this winter for their homeschool open swim on Wednesdays.  There is no set schedule at our house which leaves us the freedom to learn and do what we want, when we want.

YCT: What activities do your children participate in after school?

Honoree: “After school” my kids love to play outside.  They ride bikes, play with the chickens, shoot some hoops and continue work on digging their “hole to China” in our backyard.  Last winter, my oldest daughter was in a gymnastics class at The Little Gym in Manasquan and she also played on a B.T.S.A. team.  This winter, Cash will be playing basketball through the Point Pleasant Borough Department of Recreation and Kailyn is signed up for the “Mad Science” class they’re offering.

YCT: What is your favorite thing to do locally with your family?

Honoree: With my husband’s busy schedule, we don’t get a whole lot of family leisure time so we turn necessary outings into fun family time.  For example, like going to the grocery store, shopping for clothes, or dining out.  I know, it doesn’t sound very glamorous, but we truly enjoy whatever time we have together.   In the winter, we might go see a movie, go bowling, or go to a festival or parade.  We love to eat out and have found some great restaurants that serve awesome food and are very family friendly.  Some of our favorites are The Hickory Hog in Point Pleasant for their amazing dry rub baby back ribs, IKKO in Brick for their delicious and very entertaining hibachi, and Napoli Pizza, also located in Brick, for the best plain pie I’ve ever tasted.

YCT:  Do you have any favorite local vacation spots?

Honoree:  One of our favorite local “vacation” spots is the river beach located on the Manasquan River where River Avenue dead ends. As soon as the weather warms up and until it’s just too cold to bare it, we try to go as much as we can.  I love that for one dollar, I can take all four of my kids to play in the sand and the water, with a lifeguard on duty, and not have to worry about a heavy current carrying them away.  They always bring a bucket to catch crabs, fish, jellyfish and whatever other sea creatures may be hanging out that day.  There’s a playground and always lots of kids to play with.  Both my boys learned to swim there.  The kids also love feeding the animals at Atlantic Farms in Manasquan and this summer we went to Raceway Park in Englishtown to see the monster truck show featuring Robosaurus.  We’ll definitely be going again.  They had a blast and it was completely worth the price.  Of course, parasailing is always a hit and it’s something the whole family can enjoy.  The crew at Point Pleasant Parasail is friendly, professional, and loves to show the kids a good time.

YCT: Have you ever gone on any vacations without the kids and where?

Honoree:   The closest my husband and I have come to a vacation without our kids was staying one night at the Ocean Place Resort in Long Branch last winter which was courtesy of some very kind friends.  My husband had just finished basic training in Georgia and was able to come home for two weeks before he started his advanced training in Texas.  It was such a treat to just hang out in our room, order room service and sleep in as long as we wished.  Oh, how I could use another one night getaway like that!

YCT: What is your favorite date night location and how often do you get to go out alone with your husband?

Honoree:  We haven’t been out in a while.  Ideally, I would love to go on a date with my husband once a week.  In reality, it happens about once every six months.  Man that sounds terrible!  When we do make it out alone, we love to try a restaurant we’ve never been to.  I often ask friends what their favorite places are.  We love sushi because it reminds us of our first date, so we’ll often hit up the sushi bar at IKKO in Brick, one of our favorites.  We recently tried Spano’s in Point Pleasant Beach for the first time.  It was amazing and we can’t wait to go back.  I’m also looking forward to trying The Coal House in Point Pleasant Beach as I’ve been hearing great things about it.

YCT: What is your favorite non-mommy thing to do and how often for you get to do it?

Honoree:   My favorite non-mommy thing to do is nap which doesn’t happen very often so my second favorite non-mommy thing to do is hang out with my friends.  Every once in a while we get together to play BUNCO or go out for a kid-free dinner.  I also love to do things I don’t get to do very often, like shop.  I enjoy the Brook 35 Plaza in Sea Girt or go to the salon to get pampered.  My favorite is Salon du Monde in Point Pleasant Beach.  It’s always all about the kids or my husband so it feels great to do something just for me, to revitalize. My husband and I love to have friends over for dinner, too.  It allows me to cook a yummy meal, which is something I love and spend some time engaging in quality, adult conversation.  With four kids in the house every day, this is something I need!

YCT: What is your husband’s favorite non-Daddy thing to do?

Honoree:  My husband’s favorite non-daddy things to do are play golf and referee soccer.  I would have said taking a nap, but I think that’s a normal daddy thing to do, right?

YCT: Do you frequent any advertisers from our magazine?

Honoree:   We love Jersey Shore Pirates.  Kailyn had her 6th birthday party with them and it was great.  They’re so friendly and professional and it’s nice, as a parent, to be able to just sit back and relax and enjoy the boat ride while the kids are entertained by the amazing crew.  I’ve also taken Kailyn into Sparkle Diva a couple times.  Once for a birthday party, which was so much fun for all the little girls, and on another occasion to get a haircut.  She loved being treated like a princess.  We went to a birthday party at Bounce U one time and the kids have been begging to go back.

YCT: Do you have any parenting advice that you would like to offer our readers?

Honoree:   Patience, patience, patience!  And give your children confidence.  They’ll need all they can get to make wise choices in a complicated world.  I would hate to think that one of my children might be too scared to make the right choice.

YCT:  What is your favorite part of Your Child Today magazine?

Honoree:  With four kiddies at home with me, pretty much twenty four hours a day, it’s nice to find out what this area has to offer so we can get out and have some fun…and I can get a break.  Thank you, Your Child Today!

Fall is indeed in the air – the leaves are changing, cool weather is rolling in and, of course, Halloween is right around the corner. What better time of year to be outside? If you’re looking to enjoy the fall weather and have some seasonal fun, Jersey Shore Spooktacular is the perfect opportunity. Coordinated by Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore, Spooktacular is Monmouth and Ocean counties’ only fall festival planned by teenage Girl Scouts for the community.

Located at the Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore’s Program Activity Center in Farmingdale and throughout the more than 154 wooded acres of Sacajawea Day Camp, Spooktacular is a frighteningly pleasant sight with girls dressed as goblins, spider webs wafting through the trees, children and adults alike laughing as they enjoy a hayride around camp.

“At any given time you can find a variety of sessions going on that are all girl-created and girl-planned,” said Joan Basilotto, outdoor program manager, Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore. “These dedicated Girl Scouts work diligently each year to ensure that Spooktacular attendees are impressed and engaged. Their creativity is incredible and you can tell people are having fun just by the joy on their faces.”

Spooktacular boasts a wide array of festivities including a ghost walk, storytelling, scary skits performed by the girls, marshmallow roasting, pretzel/apple dipping, dancing with the DJ, a tombstone scavenger hunt, as well as the aforementioned hayrides. When the weather is right, almost 4,000 people will visit over the course of the weekend.

“We love the various stations, story telling, marshmallow roasting and more,” said Tracey Schulman Dubey of Howell. “
is a fun and popular event that is a must do every year!”

Most sessions are available only to Girl Scout members, but every year – for three hours – the public is invited to partake in the Spooktacular experience. This year’s Spooktacular Family Day will take place at Sacajawea Day Camp on Saturday, October 22 from noon to 3:00 pm. You do not need to be a Girl Scout to attend this session. Cost is $8.50 per person and children under the age of three are free. Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore is also looking for adult and teen (grades seven and above) volunteers to become involved in the planning of Spooktacular and to share creative visions with girls and families throughout Ocean and Monmouth counties. For more information, visit www.jerseyshorespooktacular.com or call (800) 785-2090, ext. 156.