As I've mentioned before, Vito and I are fans of the roadtrip. Prior to getting married and having children, we both worked for touring children's theatre companies where we would routinely load up the extended cargo van with sets, props and puppets, drive for hours upon end to get to the school or theater where we would be scheduled to perform, unload the van, do the show and start all over again. (Yes, I know, how on EARTH could I have left behind me the glamorous life of an actor?)
In Vito's "bachelor pad", there was a giant map of the US hanging on the wall. We would stare at it for hours, picking the places we'd like to go and plotting out the most interesting routes. When Morgan and Sophie were born, we both hoped that they would be good travelers and, for the most part, they are. (Of course, I am erasing from my memory the emergency pitstop at the side of the road in the middle of the desert when a recently potty-trained daughter-who-shall-remain-nameless simultaneously puked and peed on herself and her carseat. Mommy went through an entire pack of wipes, a roll of paper towels and two bottles of water trying to clean up the mess by herself since her other half is a "social vomiter". But I digress...)


Obviously, road-trips nowadays require more preparation than a full tank of gas and a venti coffee but they can be even more fun. One of the biggest lifesaver that I've found is the Mystery Grab Bag. For a few weeks leading up to the trip, I troll the $1 aisle at Target and visit the local Dollar Tree picking up little doodads and toys. (Be sure to stay away from the ones that make noise or you will be sorry!) I search out sales on DVDs and CDs or borrow some from the library. A few nights before the trip, I pull out all the remnant rolls of wrapping paper left over from Christmas, birthdays, weddings, etc., wrap each thing individually and divide them equally between two grab bags (one for each girl). When the day arrives and the initial thrill of the road trip has worn off, out come the grab bags. Each child gets to pull a treat from their bag and tries to guess what it could be before tearing into the paper. Crayons and a coloring book! A DVD! A princess doll! A new book! Whatever it is elicits shouts of glee before lulling them into blessed silence as they play with their new toy. Ahhhhhhhhhhh!


I find that estimating a treat per hour of driving (plus a few extras in case of emergencies) works well. Just remember to plan for the drive home as well! The grab bag can be even MORE important when the kids are over-tired, overwhelmed and everyone just wants to be home.
Have a great trip!

This Museum is Just My Size!

The other day, the girls and I went to one of our favorite places to play... Kohl Children's Museum. Now, in the interest of "Blogging with Integrity", I have to let you all know that my husband works at the museum so I may be a little biased but, frankly, I think that Kohl is head and shoulders above other area children's museums when it comes to the younger set. Smaller and less chaotic than Chicago Children's Museum, Kohl's is organized into ten exhibits and a main street section. The simple and open floor plan provides good sight-lines that allow a parent to keep an eye on their excited and ever moving children.


It seems that WE always begin in Potbelly's on Main Street. Since both girls have informed me recently that they are going to be actresses, maybe they are just getting some training in waiting tables. They love making sandwiches with the various play breads, meats and vegetables and pretending to pay at the cash register.
Another "must visit" is the Veterinarian's Office (So there IS hope for the girls, yet!). Cute cuddly stuffed animals can be bathed, brushed, have their hearts listened to with stethoscopes and, in what seems to be the most popular activity, be wrapped in multitudes of ace bandages. A "working" xray viewer adds an air of authenticity.


A relatively new addition to the Museum is Habitat Park. An outdoor area with climbing structures, a sensory garden and an open area set up for organized group activities, it is a fun way to get out, explore nature and run off some of that excess energy.


No doubt that at one point during your visit, your children will drag you into Water Works. While the aprons provided do little to protect the kids from getting wet, they are having so much fun they don't notice. And, thankfully, there are dryers hung on the wall outside the exhibit.
Right next to Water Works is my OWN personal favorite, Music Makers. Yes, the noise level can get a little high but playing with how music is made and how it makes a person feel is well worth it! Be sure not to miss the hidden gem in this exhibit... tucked in the corner is a room with music playing and a colorful video screen. Grab a ribbon and watch how your movements change the patterns on screen!


There is too much to explore at the museum for me to fit in here. We've gone many, many time and I still find new discoveries each trip.
Overall what I appreciate most about the museum is that it is well-designed with a family in mind. There are nursing stations positioned throughout the museum. In almost every exhibit, there is a designated infant/toddler safe play area. The bathrooms are clean and have diaper dispensers in case you run out. (Although they also feature automatic flushing toilets so be sure to bring your Post-Its!). I was also very impressed with the food offerings at Kim and Scott's Pretzel Twisting Cafe. In addition to their delicious pretzels, their children's offerings were appropriate and very reasonably priced. Unfortunately, they are closing on September 3 to be replaced later in the month by Cosi. We'll have to wait and see if their "expanded children's menu" lives up to it's promise.
If you happen to get down there to try out their fare before I do, send me a comment and let me know what you think. And if you see this guy... be sure to say "Hello!"

Friday Free for All- August 28, 2009

Another week has come and gone. Perhaps the kids went back to school? Maybe you spent your week soaking up the last rays of summer? Either way, the family could use a dinner out.
Last week, the girls and I went to the Kohl Children's Museum. It is one of our favorite places to spend an afternoon. (Check back this weekend and I'll tell you why!) Anyways, we were there until closing and, while our imaginations were full, our tummies were empty. Looking for a place where we could grab a quick bite without breaking the bank, we stumbled upon IHOP. Now, I haven't been to an IHOP in years but I remember their menu being mostly breakfast fare. While I was surprised to see that it has expanded to include some tasty salads, burgers and sandwiches (I had the new Tuscan Chicken Griller sandwich which was great!), I was thrilled to see their latest campaign is that Kids Eat Free 4pm-10pm DAILY!


Yes, with the purchase of an adult entree, your 12 and under child can pick anything off of their Just for Kids menu and it's free. Morgan chose the Create a Face Pancake (complete with a tube of Go-Gurt to make the pancake's hair) while Sophie chowed down on the Mac 'n Cheese.


There are a couple of caveats to this offer. It is for a limited time and drinks are not included. (I tried to convince the girls to have water with their dinner but they looked at me like I was crazy!) But, considering we knocked about $10 off of our bill, I think it was a great deal!

Travel Tip Tuesday - August 25, 2009

The bane of every potty-training parent is a public restroom with automatic flushing toilets. An extra-sensitive seeing eye and a wriggly, moving child do not work well together. A chance meeting between the two usually ends up with the flusher going off prematurely and a child refusing to sit on one of those toilets
EVER AGAIN.

Thanks to a friend of mine, I now have a solution...

Post-Its

Yes, those little yellow (pink/blue/purple) sticky sheets of paper can be the solution to your child's potty problems!

Whenever we spy one of those ubiquitous sensors on the back of a toilet, I pull my handy dandy Post-It pad out of the diaper bag and, with Morgan shouting "No Peeking!", we cover the toilet's eye and are able to potty in peace. Just don't forget to take the "blindfold" off when you are done!

So, tell me, what are your favorite uses for Post-it notes? Love notes in in your child's lunchbox? Reminders for your honey on the bathroom mirror? Let me know in the comments!

Friday Free for All - August 21, 2009

With the economic downturn...recession... generally stinky economy wreaking havoc on everyone's lives, moms have had to show even more ingenuity when it comes to saving money. For many, that means cutting back on entertainment costs and non-essential purchases and for good reason! The cost of a day's outing for a family of four can easily top $150 and that is BEFORE you cave in to the never ending cries to visit the gift shop.

Never fear! Along comes the Friday Free for All! Every week, I'll feature something fun and free (or very nearly so) for families. Sometimes it will be an event. Other times, a great deal. The possibilities are endless!

And, dear readers, if you come across a fantastic freebee happening in your area, I encourage you to share the details in the comments section. After all, the more the merrier!

---------------------------------------
When I was little, my family lived just outside of Manhattan. It seemed like once a week, my mom would pack up my brother and me and schlep us into the city to visit this museum or that. (This lead to a particularly interesting discussion that my parents had with my first grade teacher when I had to draw something that began with the letter "N" and I drew NUDES!)

Now that I have children of my own, I am hoping to provide them with the same kind of experiences (Not the drawing nudes part... the museum part!) and the Chicago Public Library has made it easier (and cheaper).


As part of the Kraft Great Kids Museum Passport program, every branch of the Chicago Public Library has family museum passes available for one week loans. While the rules vary by location, the pass entitles four family members general admission to that particular museum. Available passes include biggies (The Adler Planetarium, The Art Institute, Brookfield Zoo, Chicago Children's Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art, The Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, Notebaert Nature Museum and the Museum of Science and Industry) and some off the beaten path (Chicago History Museum, DuSable Museum of African American History and the National Museum of Mexican Art).


You do need to show some flexibility in your plans as each branch has a limited number of passes and it is first come, first served. Also, these passes are only for general admission so any special exhibits will require a fee. More information can be found on the Chicago Public Library website.


Not from Chicago? Check with your local library to see if they have a similar program. Boston does! The Twin Cities do! Detroit as well!

Added 09/03/09- Want to visit Chicago museums but are from the suburbs! You aren't left out! Just this week, it was announced that through 2010, the Museum Adventure Pass is available.

Travel Tip Tuesday - August 18, 2009

Welcome to Travel Tip Tuesday. The first of what I hope are many fun changes in store for Mommy and Me (and Me!)

Vito and I love to travel. Love it. Sadly we are broke not independently wealthy so we don't get to do it as much as we would like. The most ambitious trip we've taken was to drive with both girls from our home in Chicago to visit Vito's parents in Arizona and we've done it TWICE. No, we're not gluttons for punishment. Prior to being married, Vito and I both toured as actors with children's theatres and developed a love for the road-trip.

When not traveling the length of Route 66, I enjoy taking the girls out and about on day trips. It is not always easy getting out of the house alone with two young kids but with a little practice and some tips garnered from other moms, I manage and enjoy it in the process.

That is where Travel Tip Tuesday fits in. Every Tuesday, I'll share with you some of the tips that I found (or have been shared with me) so that we can all get out and about and have a good time.

------------------------



This past Friday, the girls and I went to Oak Street beach with Nana. It was the practice day for the Chicago Air and Water Show so we got to watch the Thunderbirds roar overhead while enjoying some sun and sand.


Yes, sand. So much fun to build castles with. Bury our feet in. Dump on our sister's heads... Which leads us to our first Tuesday Travel Tip... How to remove that pesky sand that sticks to your body and hair. Keep a bottle of talcum powder and an inexpensive soft-bristled paint brush in your beach bag. The powder helps to break the seal between the oils on your skin and the sand and the paint brush flicks the sand off of your body.


P.S. While we were at the beach, there was a fundraiser going on for Honor Flight Chicago. Their mission "is to honor and thank veterans - especially now our WWII veterans by bringing them to Washington DC, at no cost to them, for a day of honor." It is a great idea and a great cause. Be sure to check them out!

I'm baaaaack!

Forgive me, readers, for I have been a bad blogger.
It has been 10 months since my last entry...

"Why?" you may ask. Well, things were crazy around here for a while. My husband was searching for a new job. Morgan was in school. Our "Manny" left for a full-time position. I was scrambling trying to keep too many balls in the air and blogging got dropped. Besides, I could keep everyone in the family updated about the girls through Facebook (while playing addictive games like Bejeweled Blitz and FarmVille).

I actually considered scrapping the whole thing and starting over but I just love the name and design of this blog so much that I couldn't bear to do it.

So the question became "In what direction do I want this blog to go?"

The blogs that I visit are mostly Mommy-blogs with a few special interest blogs (celebrity gossip, news, crafts and design) thrown in for balance. Why do I keep going back to certain ones and not others? It's not that they have cuter kids or especially interesting lives. It's that they offer something MORE. A different perspective on parenting. Some good ideas. Regular features. A few laughs.

And that is what I hope to do.

So look for big changes coming!