Arrows Sent Forth

Super Bowl Village with Kids

2012-01-29T14:10:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned last week, the Super Bowl has come to Indianapolis. Yesterday we spent several hours strolling through the Super Bowl Village and experiencing what one of the largest and most elaborate sporting events in the world really entails. It was incredible and I'm so glad we braved the crowds and the cold temperatures, because it was totally worth it.

I've already been asked by dozens of friends and family for advice on visiting, so here's a breakdown of how we spent our day in the Super Bowl Village.

Insider Tip: Park on the east end of downtown. And dress warm!

We parked in a lot on the east end of the action (near the City County Buiding) and we began the day by bundling up the boys and hitting the pavement. We've actually had some relatively warm, sunny days this weekend, with hopefully more to come this week. But it is very windy between the tall buildings downtown, so be sure to bring along hats, gloves and scarves.

Insider Tip: Enjoy lots of free entertainment all along Georgia Street.

Over the last few years, the City of Indianapolis completely redid an entire downtown street (Georgia Street) which runs from Bankers Life Fieldhouse (where the Indiana Pacers play) all the way to Lucas Oil Stadium and the Convention Center (where the Super Bowl will be played and where the NFL Experience is headquartered). This street is now Super Bowl Village, basically a free festival with concerts, street performers, concessions and bars all along the way. Along with several other downtown streets, it is closed to traffic and entirely pedestrian this week.

Big Arrow loved this juggler on stilts.

Insider Tip: Warm up inside The Huddle

During our stroll along Georgia Street, we made a couple of pitstops. Once, we warmed up inside "The Huddle," which is a heated lounge area in a former department store (the old Nordstroms, for you locals). This is a great spot to grab a beverage, rest your legs and use the bathroom.

Insider Tip: Don't miss Monument Circle for the big XLVI letters.

Then we ventured north on Meridian Street to Monument Circle to see all the Indy Cars, one for each NFL team. It was quite a sight to behold.

Can't resist a plug for the home team.

Insider Tip: End your visit in Touchdown Alley and the zipline.

From there, we continued west on Georgia Street and headed to Touchdown Alley. It's basically a smaller version of a football field, complete with astro turf. It was full of kids running around (and parents acting just as young at heart as the kids... I love that!) Big Arrow could have stayed here for hours.

The most exciting part of the day was watching the zipliners fly overhead as we played on the field below. I can't quite put into words what it's like to watch people zooming through the air in the middle of a large city with a party raging below. But here's a little video I took to give you a sense of it.

We had too much fun for just one post. So I'll be sharing more pictures later this week. Be sure to check back.

Other Insider Tips:

If your kids are a little older, or you're a big football fan, consider purchasing a ticket for the NFL Experience. It looks great, but our boys are still a bit young for that.
If you're visiting with a baby or need any type of special medical care or attention, there's a Super Care Clinic inside Union Station. Moms are welcome to nurse or pump inside the clinic. (I didn't actually use this myself and nursed Little Arrow during lunch instead, but it was a big relief to know there was a quiet, warm place to do that if I had needed to.)
When you find yourself in need of a restroom, look down the alleys. On just about every alley downtown, you'll see a white trailer. This is a heated restroom with running water. We saw very few lines at these trailers when we were there.

This biggest complaint I hear from people about the Super Bowl experience is how expensive it is. But I'm happy to report we spent less than $50 for an entire day of fun ($7 to park and about $40 for a nice lunch). There's so much to see and do that's all for free, so don't let money get in your way of a good time this week.

Like what you see? Then "like" Arrows Sent Forth on Facebook and keep up with all our adventures.

Chicago Bound

2012-01-26T14:45:00.001-05:00

My husband is heading to Chicago next week for work (and the Arrows and I are tired of being left behind!), so we're tagging along to to visit a few friends, hopefully hit a museum or two, and enjoy a little getaway. It's been over a year since I roamed Chicago with Big Arrow. I'm looking forward to doing it again with both Arrows. Expect to hear more about that soon, but for now I'll post a couple of photos of The Bean, just one of many iconic Chicago landmarks.

Hard to believe Big Arrow was barely walking in this picture! Now he'd probably try to see how many times he could run around it.

You can read more about our visit to Millennium Park here.

What's your favorite thing to do in the Windy City?

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis

2012-01-23T11:44:00.000-05:00

Big Arrow decorates a card for one of the thousands of visitors coming to Indy for Super Bowl XLVI.
Visitors staying in downtown hotels will receive one of these personalized welcome cards from Hoosier kids.

It's an exciting time to be a Hoosier, as we prepare to welcome the world to Indianapolis for the Big Game (as in Super Bowl XLVI). The preparations have been under way for years and I'm looking forward to seeing the city shine on such a large stage.

Even if you're not into football, there's some fun things happening in conjunction with the game. I wrote about the Super Bowl Village for Visit Indiana here. We're hoping to bring the Arrows to experience some of that fun this weekend when it opens (likely before the tens of thousands of visitors descend on the city). From free concerts to a giant zipline, it looks like a once-in-a-lifetime atmosphere.

And this summer, I really want to take the boys on a "mural hunt" around downtown. The City and the Arts Council of Indianapolis created a "46" for XLVI public art project that I wrote about for Visit Indiana here. There are now 46 murals all over Indianapolis showcasing the city's cultural vibrancy. I love that the Super Bowl will leave such a lasting legacy around town.

The Village and the murals are just a few of the dozens of events and attractions revolving around the Super Bowl in Indianapolis. More information on Indianapolis hosting the Super Bowl is available here.

And if you're planning a trip to Indianapolis for the Super Bowl and want some recommendations on things to do around the city and state, please visit my Indiana Adventures page for a few ideas. I also wrote a post about off-the-beaten-path attractions and dining recommendations for families visiting Indianapolis at the R We There Yet Mom blog a while back.

If you're looking for more objective reviews of the city as a destination, here are a couple of articles from the mainstream press previewing Indianapolis as a host for the Super Bowl.

Enjoy the game!

Hike at Tangeman Woods

2012-01-20T12:10:00.000-05:00

Like much of the country, we've had an unusually warm winter thus far. So we've tried to make the most of this rarity and get outside with the two Arrows as much as possible. When we felt we had our fill of the backyard and nearby playground, we planned a late afternoon hike at Tangeman Woods here in Columbus, Indiana.

Part of the Sycamore Land Trust network of nature preserves throughout southern Indiana, it was a fun, 3/4 mile trek through ravines and hillsides.

Because we weren't familiar with the trail, we decided to "wear" about Big Arrow and Little Arrow. I was glad we did... the sun may have set on us before Big Arrow would have finished the hike on his own two feet because portions of the trail were steep.

While we missed the leaves on the trees, there was still plenty of nature to be found, even in winter. Like this skull my husband found. (Not really my cup of tea, but Big Arrow thought it was awesome.)

On our next warm day, I'd like to try out nearby Touch the Earth Natural Area. We drove by it and thought it looked a little more toddler-friendly and quieter. (Tangeman Woods borders busy State Road 46, so you could see and hear traffic throughout the hike. It didn't ruin the experience, but I like hikes that are a bit more serene.)

If You Visit:
Tangeman Woods Nature Preserve
9441 Old Nashville Road, Columbus, IN
Park at the Harrison Township Volunteer Fire Department. The trail begins and ends here.
The property is free, but there is no staff and no amenities (like restrooms). There are many restaurants just a few miles east in Columbus.
A detailed map is available here.
Insider Tip: If you're hiking with kids, challenge them to find each of the 59 numbered sign posts. We let Big Arrow walk the last 1/4 mile of the trail and he loved running from post to post. Plus, it helps ensure you to stay on the trail.

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

Gray Brothers Cafeteria

2012-01-17T15:21:00.000-05:00

Cafeterias have long held a place in Hoosier diners' hearts. But most of the cafeterias that used to dot just about every town on the map in Indiana have sadly long since been replaced by chain restaurants. There's one exception to that: Gray Brothers Cafeteria in Mooresville, Indiana. Known as much for the line that stretches out the door as its traditional and homey food, it is only about 15 minutes from where I grew up.

I remember eating there for the first time when we moved to Indiana, and how foreign it seemed to my very New England family. But we quickly learned our way around the cafeteria line. Before long, the enormous dining rooms, roaring fire places, and crisp, juicy fried chicken seemed like home to us.

To read more about the cafeteria dining experience at Grays, read my post about Gray Brothers Cafeteria for Visit Indiana here. Or watch a clip about Gray Brothers when it was featured on Man v. Food on the Travel Channel here.

A couple of months ago, at the height of my pregnancy cravings, I visited my parents for dinner. Cue my dad walking in the door with the unmistakeable Grays takeout bags. I hadn't been to Grays in years, but it still tasted exactly the same.

It really is as good as it looks.

If You Visit:
Gray Brothers Cafeteria
555 S. Indiana Street, Mooresville, IN
Insider Tips: The line moves fast, but if you don't have time, head to the carry-out entrance on the northside of the building and get your meal to go.

You can also order whole pies. Trust me, once you try them, you'll agree that one slice just isn't enough.

This post is a part of Wanderfood Wednesday at Wanderlust and Lipstick.

Look down.

2012-01-12T18:51:00.000-05:00

About a year ago, I did a Photo Friday post with pictures I took while looking up. This time around, I thought I'd share a few snapshots from times I've looked down. (Well... sort of. No one wants to see a bunch of pictures of my feet, right?) Enjoy!

Looking down at the red bricks that mark the path of the Freedom Trail during our trip to Boston last summer.

Big Arrow spinning down a slide at a playground in Redington Beach, Florida, during our trip to St. Pete last February.

Taking in a holiday performance by a local school group when we visited the Indiana State Museum in December.

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

10 Tips for Planning a Florida Trip

2012-01-10T11:44:00.000-05:00

You'll be hearing a lot about the Sunshine State around here over the next few months, as we're heading back to Florida in early March. Since I've now planned at least a half dozen trips to this part of the country over the last 10 years or so, I thought I'd share a few tips I've learned along the way. Just in time for you Spring Breakers!

1.) Pick a general area or city in Florida to explore. There are so many regions of this state worth a visit that it can be a bit overwhelming. There are many ways to go about making this decision. For the past few years, we've focused our search on areas where we can fly direct. Or you can look at driving times from your house if you plan on road tripping. (For example, from my house to Panama City Beach, the drive takes a little over 11 hours. If we drove to Miami from here, it would be 18 hours. A pretty big difference if all you care about is sticking your feet in the sand.) Or there may be a particular attraction (cough... Disney World... cough) that you know you want to see. Regardless, picking your homebase is a good first step.

2.) Decide on lodging. I like to do this before booking flights because depending on the time of year, you may struggle to find a place to rest that suits you and your family. If you're traveling at peak times, hotels might be full. Or if, like us, you like to visit in the winter, it can sometimes be hard to find a rental property that rents by the night since there are so many monthly rentals at that time of year. I like to be sure we can find a place to stay in a particular area before I book a flight there. I can always change course or switch weekends if we come up empty in our search.

3.) Plan ahead. Because of Florida's popularity as a vacation destination, I find that it's best to make reservations and not "wing it." This includes purchasing tickets for popular attractions, booking a place to stay, renting a car, etc. If there are things you can do in advance, it's usually a good idea especially if you're visiting at peak times.

4.) Connect with the local tourism bureau. I do this whenever I'm planning a trip, but I'm usually really impressed with those in Florida. Because their economy is so tied to tourism, you'll likely find these organizations to be really professional and accommodating. You can even find great suggestions on things as simple as a favorite lunch spot. (We would have never discovered one of our favorite restaurants in Tampa, Bricks of Ybor, without Visit Tampa Bay's recommendation.)

5.) Consider renting equipment or beach supplies. Since I travel with young kids who often need specialty, bulky equipment (like a pack n play for sleeping or high chair for eating), we prefer to rent these items instead of dragging things to the airport. A trip to Florida might include renting a jogging stroller for walks on the beach or a cabana for sun protection. (If you're visiting the Tampa/St. Pete/Clearwater area, we had a good experience renting from Beach Family Rentals.)

6.) Check the weather. Unless you visit in the summer, when it's 99% likely to be hot, you may find Florida weather unpredictable. It can be cool at times, especially in the evening. So even though you've looked forward to hot sun for weeks, be sure to throw in some long pants and a jacket or two in your suitcase.

7.) Have some rainy day plans. It often rains down there, for at least part of the day. So be sure to research some fun things to do that don't involve parking yourself on the beach. Nearby movie theatres, museums, aquariums, etc. are good things to keep in mind.

8.) Don't forget nature. The beach is great, and no one loves spending a day there more than me. But Florida is also a place of outstanding natural habitats, some of which may be completely different than where you live. Take advantage of an opportunity to get up close and personal with these unique landscapes. (In other words, there's more to Florida than The Mouse.)

9.) Think through your beach needs when packing. If you plan to spend the bulk of your vacation at the beach, keep in mind that you may want to pack a few items you don't normally bring on a trip. The Delicious Baby blog had a great post about packing for a trip to Hawaii, many of these apply for Florida also. And a couple of unique finds on Pinterest that I plan to throw in my bag for our upcoming trip include:

Source: realsimple.com via Nicole on Pinterest

A shower cap to keep the sand on your shoes from getting all over your bag. (Although I admit that finding some sand at the bottom of my purse a few weeks after a trip to the beach always makes me smile.)

Source: bigyoshop.hu via Nicole on Pinterest

I never know what to do with essentials like keys, money, etc., when we go to the beach since I know I'll want to wander a bit from our beach blanket at times. I love this idea for repurposing an empty sunscreen container. Not foolproof of course, but a lot less tempting to a potential thief.

10.) Order seafood or fish at every meal. (Oh... maybe this is just something I do when in Florida.)

This post is a part of Top 10 Tuesday at Oh Amanda.

Celebration Crossing at the Indiana State Museum

2012-01-09T11:34:00.000-05:00

Our first big adventure as a family of four last month took us to Celebration Crossing at the Indiana State Museum. My husband has fond memories of visiting this museum each year at Christmas when he was a kid (although it was in a different building at the time), meeting Santa and riding the train. So we did exactly that.

First, we warmed up by letting Big Arrow color and make a ring as part of an organized effort to bring holiday cheer to area hospitals, nursing homes, military overseas, etc.

Then it was time to meet the Big Guy. I feared getting the standard "kid screaming on Santa's lap picture." But my husband did an amazing job of convincing (typically timid) Big Arrow not to be scared. I think he even managed to whisper what he wanted for Christmas.

Then it was time to board the train. It's a simple series of carts that goes round and round a decorated holiday scene. Perfectly sized for little ones. (Meaning my 6' 4" husband had to stand on the sidelines with Little Arrow while I rode the train with Big Arrow. Sometimes it pays to be short!) I loved the kind staff and volunteers who so graciously entertain train riders.

Then we left the Celebration Crossing exhibit to check out the old fashioned department store holiday displays. Big Arrow was completely fascinated with the little Christmas scenes spread out behind the glass. He marveled at them for quite some time.

Our morning at the museum was full of festive fun, and it was particularly rewarding to hear my husband comment repeatedly on how much it reminded him of coming to the museum as a child.

If you're wondering where Little Arrow was for all this fun, you should know that I subscribe to the "don't mess with a sleeping baby" parenting philosophy. So this is how he took in all the museum's sights and sounds:

Celebration Crossing is closed for the holiday season, but as my husband can attest, you can count on it being back again next year.

If You Visit:
Indiana State Museum
650 W. Washington Street, Indianapolis
Open Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays, 11 a.m. to p.m.
Admission is $7 for adults and $4 for children 3-12.
Insider Tips:

Signs will tell you that you can't take photos in Santa's house. While this is true, you don't have to buy one of the museum's photo packages. I was able to take photos from the entrance of the house (and was encouraged to do so).
While the Indiana State Museum is not a children's museum, the Amazing Maize exhibit that's at the museum through January 2013 is quite kid-friendly. I'll be writing about that soon.

Disclosure: I was provided with tickets to the Indiana State Museum. I was under no obligation to write about my time at the museum, and all opinions expressed are my own.

A return to Robert's Tree Farm

2012-01-06T08:27:00.000-05:00

There's something about New Year's that always causes me to pause and think about all that's changed. Change is good, no doubt, and change for our family has been especially good to us this year with the arrival of our new Little Arrow. Watching Big Arrow blossom into a really sweet big brother has been equally as heart warming.

But a few weeks ago, when we drove home from getting our Christmas tree at Robert's Tree Farm in beautiful southern Indiana again this year, I was reminded of how comforting it is when everything stays exactly the same.

We boarded the same tractor to take a hay ride.

That ride took us to the same beautiful field of trees.

We once again watched Big Arrow run around with pure joy.

The same kind man got our tree all ready to take home.

We warmed up in the same comfy cabin. Which we learned has stood on this farm since the mid 1800s. And this farm has been in the same family equally as long. The cabin was originally a small grocery store, and the farm hasn't always sold Christmas trees of course, but I was really touched by the pride that the farm owner had in his voice as he told us the history of this special place.

This was our view of Little Arrow throughout our outing (he was only a week old, afterall). And he's just about the only thing that was different this year.

I guess the more things change, the more they stay the same afterall.

If You Visit:
Robert's Tree Farm
9977 N. Co. Rd. 25 E., Seymour, Indiana
Opens the week of Thanksgiving through the weekend before Christmas
Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to dark; Sunday, noon to dark.
Insider Tip: If you already have a tree, you can still visit the farm. Live wreaths are available for purchse, along with horse-drawn carriage rides.

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

Bella Habana Restaurant in St. Pete Beach

2012-01-03T22:27:00.000-05:00

My husband and I have spent the last week or so arranging a return trip to the St. Petersburg area of Florida. This trip is becoming a yearly tradition, as we'll now have traveled to this area 3 of the last 4 winters. Call it our cold weather pilgrimmage to the sun and sand (also known as "how I get through Indiana winters").

Naturally we were discussing what attractions and restaurants we might return to, and Bella Habana made the list. It's a Cuban restaurant in St. Pete Beach that we visited on the last night of our trip last year, and I think if I close my eyes, I can still feel the cool breeze as we sat on their patio watching the sun slowly set.

This area of Florida has a large Cuban population, so it's a must that you sample some of the cuisine while there. I went for the crab empanadas, while my husband couldn't resist the traditional Cuban sandwich.

We decided to order the sweet plantains on the side, and they were also delicious. We couldn't get Big Arrow to believe us when we said they were just like bananas and give them a try, but that just meant there was more for mom and dad to devour!

A few other memories stand out from our dinner at Bella Habana.

Like the sangria.

And Big Arrow's great behavior as we enjoyed the large patio.

Insider Tip: The restaurant is known for its live music, which I'm sure is great and fun, but if you visit on a night when there's no show, you may get the patio all to yourself like we did.

And our sunset stroll home along the beach.

Florida, from your tasty food to your breathtaking landscapes, it's no wonder I just can't quit you. Can't wait to do it all over again in March!

If You Visit:
Bella Habana Restaurant
5905 Gulf Boulevard, St. Pete Beach
Insider Tip: Skip the toasted Cuban bread as a side item... it's just your average garlic bread.

Want more information about our travels to this area? You can read my St. Petersburg trip report here. Or read my reviews of two other family-friendly dining options in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area:

This post is a part of Wanderfood Wednesday at Wanderlust and Lipstick.

Happy New Year!

2011-12-28T11:29:00.000-05:00

2011 was such a wonderful year around here.

But I'm already looking forward to making many new memories as a family of four in 2012.

Thanks for being a part of our lives for another year. From our family to yours, we wish you lots of happy travels and adventures in the new year! We hope you'll continue to come along on our's.

Photos courtesy of Photography by Leslie Ann.

Chihuly in St. Petersburg

2011-12-22T22:11:00.000-05:00

The skies have been pretty gray and dreary around Indiana this week. Which is just fine since I'm mostly snuggled up at home with my two little boys (still getting used to saying two...) But as I stare out the window, I can't help but daydream of our trip to St. Petersburg, Florida last February when we woke up to beautiful sunny skies everyday.

I especially loved the way that sunlight reflected on the beautiful sculpture by Dale Chihuly during our walk around downtown St. Petersburg.

I'm a big fan of Dale Chihuly and would love to go on a world tour of his works of art. Unfortunately Big Arrow wasn't too cooperative when we walked by the exhibit in St. Petersburg so we didn't duck inside to see it all, but at least they had this work outside on display for all to see.

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

I know it's been quiet around here lately... I hope to post more in 2012, so be sure to check back! I have several fun adventures to share, like our trip to the Indiana State Museum and our return to Robert's Tree Farm. And I'm happy to report that Little Arrow is a pro at daytrips already! Can't wait to take him on his first vacation. Which just might be a return to sunny Florida this winter.

Native American Baby Wearing

2011-12-15T22:21:00.000-05:00

I spent a lot of time researching baby carriers before Little Arrow was born. It was the one thing I wanted to splurge on (turns out some sneaky family members knew all about this and surprised me with my favorite choice, the Ergo Baby Carrier*). Expect to see lots of pictures of Little Arrow tucked inside in the months to come. I already put it to great use on our trip to the Christmas tree farm last week.

While I was in the midst of my research, I happened upon this carrier during my trip to the Eiteljorg Museum. Apparently even Native American parents consider a good carrier essential baby travel equipment!

You can read about my trip to the Eiteljorg Museum here, or see my guest post about the Eiteljorg at Midwest Guest here.

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

Disclosure: I was invited to tour the Eiteljorg Museum as part of a White River State Park press trip, which included my admission. I was under no obligation to write about my time at the museum, and all opinions expressed are my own.

*Links to my Amazon Affiliate account. A small portion of any sales made through this link will come back to support this blog, but this does not in any way increase the cost of purchase for you.

Support Passports with Purpose

2011-12-11T21:45:00.000-05:00

A while back, when I was a full-time working gal at a startup nonprofit, my boss encouraged me to read a book that he loved: Leaving Microsoft to Change the World by John Wood.* It is the true story of a former Microsoft executive who left the corporate world behind to change the world, one library and donated book at a time. Inspired by his travels to third world countries and burnt out from the 9 to 5 grind, he started a nonprofit called Room to Read that does just that: builds libraries from the ground up in some of the world's poorest communities. The experience, cooperation, and resulting educational resource changes these villages forever.

So what does this have to do with Arrows Sent Forth? I'm one of the many travel blogs supporting a program called Passports with Purpose, where we encourage donations with the ultimate goal of building two Room to Read libraries in Zambia. I participated in Passports with Purpose in 2010 also, and well over $50,000 was raised to build a village in India.

What's really fun about this fundraiser is that with each $10 donation, you can choose a particular prize to be entered to win. There are more than 88 prizes to choose from, ranging in worth from $100 to $4,200. Here are a few of my favorites:

A $1,000 voucher to HomeAway: I'm a lover of rental properties when traveling, and I've used HomeAway many times. I also won a trip to Boston through a blogging contest they sponsored. It's a very reputable company with properties in just about every vacation spot you can imagine.
Buckeye Lodging Package for Two: a 2-night stay at any Ohio State Park Lodge, including breakfast, dinner and gift shop credit. I've stayed at several Indiana State Park Inns and have always enjoyed that experience. I'd love to explore my neighbor to the east just a bit more with this prize.
2-Night Stay at the Affinia Hotel Manhattan: I really want to take my kids to New York, it's my favorite American city. But the cost of overnight lodging has kept us from booking a trip. Problem solved if we were to win this!
3-Night Stay for a Family of 4 at Beaches in Jamaica: I went to Jamaica on my honeymoon and would love to return with the whole family.

Click here to see the full list of Passports with Purpose prizes.

A much younger Big Arrow plays at our local library.

I'm a lover of libraries. Big Arrow and I visit our local library just about every week. He loves story hour and devours the books we bring home with us. I can't wait to introduce Little Arrow to such an amazing place. I can't imagine a world without libraries and books, but for so many people around the world, something as simple as a shelf of books is an inaccessible luxury. By supporting Passports with Purpose, you can do your part to change that for two communities in Zambia.

You must donate by December 16 in order to be entered into the prize drawings!

*Links to my Amazon Affiliate account. A small portion of any sales made through this link will come back to support this blog, but this does not in any way increase the cost of purchase for you.

Hood Milk Bottle at the Boston Children's Museum

2011-12-07T11:53:00.000-05:00

Can you imagine leaving this enormous bottle of milk out for Santa in a few weeks?

Since it could hold more than 60,000 gallons of milk, you'd have to make quite a few batches of cookies to go with it!

The Hood Milk Bottle serves lunch and ice cream outside of the Boston Children's Museum during warm months only. Read more about our visit to the Boston Children's Museum and our five days in Boston.

This post is a part of Wanderfood Wednesday at Wanderlust and Lipstick.

Introducing Little Arrow

2011-12-05T18:36:00.000-05:00

Little Arrow joined the world on December 1. Weighing in at 8 pounds 3 ounces, he's been a quiet force of nature in our family ever since. He's very content, has a healthy appetite, and is a great sleeper (so far!) Plus, we think he's pretty cute.

Take a look.

Big Arrow is pretty fond of him, too.

He's even been on a few road trips. Like home from the hospital. And to the pediatrician.

We're happy to be home and healthy as a family of four. I have a few more posts to share later this month, and I hope to be back to regular blogging in January (or whatever amount of posts our new schedule will allow!)

Bubble Room at Kidscommons

2011-11-17T21:40:00.000-05:00

While I thought it would be fun to take The Arrow back to Kidscommons, the children's museum we are lucky to have here in Columbus, Indiana, I mostly went for selfish purposes. I got a new camera a couple of weeks ago (my first DSLR--a Canon Rebel T3* if you're interested in this sort of thing), and I wanted to try it out in a fun environment.

While I've written about this museum before, I've never shared photos from the Bubble-ology exhibit. It's my favorite spot in the museum, but it's always been packed with kids when we've visited in the past. Which makes it hard to take pictures in there.

But on this mid-week morning, The Arrow had it all to himself.

I have a lot more to learn about the camera (I'm barely out of the automatic setting), but I already love capturing a few of these special expressions and moments.

You can read about our first trip to Kidscommons here, and see more photos from our most recent visit here. I've also written about Kidscommons for Visit Indiana here.

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

*Links to my Amazon Affiliate account. A small portion of any sales made through this link will come back to support this blog, but this does not in any way increase the cost of purchase for you.

Gift Ideas for Traveling Families

2011-11-16T22:11:00.001-05:00

I've been finding some great gift ideas for families that travel on Pinterest lately. I wanted to share a few in preparation for Christmas shopping. I love these because they're affordable, practical, creative, and just plain fun!

For Map Lovers:
I'm old school: we still kick it with a map when we travel. Even if you don't, here are a few ideas to help you use travel memories to decorate your home!

Source: marthastewart.com via Nicole on Pinterest

Commemorate a great trip from the past year, or build anticipation for a 2012 trip by embroidering a map with your route marked out. Don't be scared that it's from Martha Stewart's site, I think it looks very do-able!

Source: etsy.com via Nicole on Pinterest

I'm a huge fan of traveling around the Midwest, so I love this handmade pillow with a map of the upper Midwest I found on Etsy. It appears the shop (SaltLabs) has pillows with lots of other geographical locations, like Florida and Manhattan.

Source: everythingfab.com via Nicole on Pinterest

The Arrow has a blank wall in his new "big boy" room and I'm thinking of doing a small map of each trip we've taken with him to hang there... and we can just keep adding more!

FOR THE KIDS
Since you're shelling out all that dough on Christmas gifts for your kids, why not make a few of those presents travel-related?

Source: gonewiththefamily.com via Nicole on Pinterest

I love the blog Gone With The Family, and they are prolific travelers. So I trust this family's review of Lonely Planet's "Not for Parents" travel guidebook series. As The Arrow gets older and learns to read, I'm really interested in cultivating his interest in travel destinations through books, so I'll certainly be keeping this fun series in mind.

Source: couponingtodisney.com via Nicole on Pinterest

We haven't yet ventured to any of the Disney theme parks, but I imagine someday we will. And from the many trip reports, reviews and other posts that fill my Google Reader about Disney-inspired travel, I know many families have or are planning trips to see Mickey. You can't beat a free souvenir, and this post shows you how to get a free character autograph.

Source: lessthanperfectlifeofbliss.blogspot.com via Nicole on Pinterest

This one may not earn you too many oohs and aahs immediately upon opening, but I love these "road trip clips" for encouraging good behavior on a family road trip. Perhaps you could even have the kids open these up a few days before Christmas and put them to use during the car ride to grandma's before the holidays begin!

STOCKING STUFFERS
I'm always on the hunt for fun things to fill The Arrow's stocking that's not just another junky toy or trinket. Here are a few travel-inspired stocking stuffers!

Source: uncommongoods.com via Nicole on Pinterest

I love these small shadow boxes to build excitement for a trip or destination and to teach kids the value of a dollar. My husband and I don't go too crazy with Christmas gifts for The Arrow in part because we consider some of our trips to be gifts themselves. This will be a great tool to show him in a visual way what it means to save for something special, but still gives you something to open on Christmas morning.

Source: littlebirdiesecrets.blogspot.com via Nicole on Pinterest

I don't sew, but I have several friends and family members who could probably produce these cute luggage identifiers. I think these would be helpful not only at baggage claim, but even on a road trip if you personalized the tags with each family member's initials.

Source: twokidsandamap.com via Nicole on Pinterest

Jennifer at Two Kids and a Map always buys her family the same snack (Swedish Fish) for each trip they take. What a great idea! Since we became a couple, my husband and I always bring the Market Pantry Monster Trail Mix from Target on our road trips. I think I'll put these treats in his stocking this year in anticipation of our first trip in 2012 (whenever/wherever that may be!)

More Ideas
I've read a couple of great posts in the last few weeks with even more gift ideas for traveling families, like this Best Gift Ideas for Travelers by Jody Halsted from Family Rambling. And I really loved this 11 Toys for a Traveling Kid's Wishlist from the Traveling with Kids blog. I think a few of those might end up in The Arrow's pile this year!

For more of my own ideas, last year I wrote a post about locally-made gifts for traveling kids. All those products have remained a hit in our house when we're traveling. You can also review my products page for additional items that our family puts to good use on the road and at home.

This post is a part of Things I Love Thursday at The Diaper Diaries and Saturday Stumbles at Simply Staci.

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Do Bloggers Take Maternity Leave?

2011-11-13T20:14:00.000-05:00

Other than a quick, kid-free trip to Wisconsin this past weekend for a wedding (shhh! don't tell my OB!), we've mostly been sticking close to home these last few weeks. But The Arrow and I have still been having lots of fun. A couple of weeks ago, we made a return trip to Kidscommons, the children's museum here in Columbus, Indiana.

It was a great spot to let The Arrow run around and play, while I could just venture from seat to seat and rest. I know he'll feel cooped up once we bring the baby home and can't get out as much, so I've made an effort to take him on some fun "field trips."

Apparently I've really worn him out!

Speaking of rest, I'll be taking a bit of a breather from regular blogging for the next couple of months. I hope to get a post up once a week or so, but don't expect much more than a photo or two. I really want to focus on my last two weeks as a family of three, and then obviously on the needs of a newborn and a toddler through the remainder of 2011. I hope to write a bit more frequently in January and beyond.

I do have two more posts scheduled for this week, including a Pinterest-inspired list of gift ideas for family travelers and more cute photos of The Arrow from our visit to Kidscommons. I'll also still be writing posts for Visit Indiana on a regular basis.

We have absolutely no set travel plans for 2012, other than that we WILL travel. We want to feel out our lifestyle and the baby's temperament before we commit to anything specific. But I'm sure I'll be sharing lots of Monday Dreams once we do start thinking about our fun adventures as a family of four. And I'll certainly still be trekking around Indiana and sharing those outings with you, I'm far too antsy to sit around at home for too long!

You can also "like" Arrows Sent Forth on Facebook for more regular updates from our family.

This post is a part of Mondays are for Dreaming at The Mother of All Trips.

Pitstop at the Peoria RiverFront

2011-11-10T21:57:00.001-05:00

We've made the drive from Indiana to Iowa a few times now so that we can visit The Arrow's aunt and uncle. In fact, our most recent trip was for their wedding! It's a little over 6 hours and our son is 2 1/2, so we definitely have to plan at least one stop for him to burn off some energy. Since it is mostly rural from start to finish, there aren't exactly endless attractions and options for fun on the road in this part of the country.

The Peoria RiverFront caught my eye when I was planning our trip. It's directly off I-74, and pretty close to a halfway point for us. We found it to be a great stop for our restless little guy.

The Arrow wasted no time getting a good run in.

I wished I had brought along a little soccer ball or something to play with in this wide open plaza. Next time! But it was a great place to watch the big boats go up and down the river.

It didn't take The Arrow long to spot a playground at the Joe's Crab Shack right on the water. We weren't hungry for a meal, so we just ordered up some drinks and let The Arrow loose. (More on why I love playgrounds while traveling here.)

In The Arrow's eyes, the lemonade was almost as good as the playground.

And then it was time to run back to the car to finish our trip!

If You Visit:
Peoria RiverFront
Runs along several blocks of Water Street in Peoria
Features restaurants, shops, a marina, lots of special events, concerts, etc. We didn't even scratch the surface of what this area offers during our 45-minute stop.
Insider Tip: Free 2-hour parking is available at the RiverFront Village and the lot across from the Illinois Antique Center.

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

Hamburg Inn in Iowa City

2011-11-08T21:48:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was Election Day around here, which reminded me of a fun diner I visited last spring in Iowa City, Iowa. Considering Iowa's prominent role in national politics because of its very early primary, there is an abundance of spots around the state that have been frequented by some big name politicians. Hamburg Inn is among the most famous.

If you visit, prepare to sit elbow to elbow with your fellow patrons. This place is tiny, but has a lively, bustling atmosphere. The walls are covered with photos and autographs from politicians of both parties. Name a presidential contender, and they've likely dined here.

We went for breakfast, and I can't remember which of their omelets I ordered (how's that for an informative restaurant review!?). But I know it was delicious. Hamburg Inn is also known for (not surprisingly) their hamburgers. We dined without The Arrow on this particular visit, but he ate there this fall with his dad and highly recommends the milkshakes.

Given its location in the heart of downtown Iowa City, it makes for a great place to fuel up for a day of strolling around town or the University of Iowa's campus.

Speaking of Iowa, check back on Friday. I'll be sharing some photos of a great pitstop we made on a drive from Indiana to Iowa with The Arrow.

If You Visit:
Hamburg Inn
214 N. Linn Street, Iowa City, IA
Open everyday from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Like any good diner, breakfast is served all day.

This post is a part of Wanderfood Wednesday at Wanderlust and Lipstick.

Running around Harvard

2011-11-03T05:18:00.000-04:00

I love visiting a beautiful college campus. We've taken The Arrow to Notre Dame, my husband's alma mater, and Butler, my alma mater. So while in Boston, we couldn't resist taking him to Harvard. We didn't have anything particular planned for a visit here, and it started to rain a little.

But The Arrow didn't let that slow him down one bit.

Luckily Dad caught up with him.

And gave him a bird's eye view of campus.

Maybe The Arrow will be accepted to Harvard on his own merits somday. If not, he looked for ways to sneak his way in.

Before running wild through campus, we started our Harvard visit with dinner at The Border Cafe and ended with ice cream in Harvard Square. If you'd like to read more about visiting Boston with a 2-year-old, you can read my full trip report.

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

Memories from Boston: Riding the T

2011-10-31T08:08:00.000-04:00

Last week a big military plane flew overhead as The Arrow and I were stopped at a stoplight. I asked him where he thought the plane was going, and he immediately yelled "Boston!" from the backseat. I love that he's finally reaching the age where he remembers big events like our trip to Boston this summer.

If you ask him what he remembers about Boston, the first thing The Arrow will give you a full report on is the "orange train." Our rental house in Jamaica Plain was a few blocks from the orange line of the MBTA, Boston's main public transportation system. For a suburban kid, riding a subway was a pretty grand experience.

I've already written about why I think train travel is so great for getting from one city to another with a toddler. But getting around one city is pretty awesome, too. We actually had time to talk to each other, spend time as a family, tell The Arrow about the things he'd be seeing when we reached our stop, etc. Plus, we didn't worry about traffic, navigation or parking in a particularly un-car-friendly city, nor did we have to drag a car seat on the plane or rent one.

I was glad he got to add another train to his list of transportation memories, much like the TECO streetcars in Tampa. There are many other modes of transportation that I hope we get to take The Arrow on in the coming years: Chicago's "L," New York City's subway, Paris' Metro, London's Tube and double decker buses, San Francisco's trolleys...

(Perhaps my sister will leave a comment sharing with all of you the time she and I got separated on the Paris Metro during a high school trip to France... fortunately I've become a little more savvy about these things in the last 15 years!)

Insider Tip:
If you're taking public transportation directly from Logan Airport in Boston, I recommend buying your T tickets at one of the kiosks near baggage claim at the airport (pictured below). There were long lines to get tickets at the T station itself and we got to walk right by since I had already bought tickets while we were waiting around for our bags.

My husband describes this picture as "that time you abandoned our kid in a busy airport just to get a photo for your blog."

This post is a part of Mondays are for Dreaming at The Mother of All Trips.

New Discoveries at the Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-27T19:45:00.000-04:00

The Arrow learned an important lesson about nature during our trip to the pumpkin patch a couple of weeks ago.

Not all pumpkins are orange.

Learning something new is my favorite part of traveling, and I simply love watching The Arrow discover and explore. Do you have a favorite memory of something your children learned during a trip or outing? Please share in the comments or on the Arrows Sent Forth Facebook page.

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

Product Review: Life is Good from Appalachian Outdoors

2011-10-26T22:56:00.000-04:00

I've always been a big believer in dressing The Arrow comfortably. You're much more likely to find him in sweats and a matching t-shirt than in fancy dress pants or a button-down shirt. While I want him to look presentable and cute, the last thing a kid who's traveling needs is to be uncomfortable because of some fussy clothes.

This is why I was excited to review products from the Life is Good line, available via AppOutdoors.com. I've been a longtime fan of this product line because I find their clothes particularly soft and comfortable. Here, The Arrow models a couple of our favorite Life is Good products that we've purchased or received as gifts in the past.

On his first birthday in a Life is Good long sleeve T. Couldn't you just squeeze those chubby thighs?

Camping at Brookville Lake this summer in a Life is Good sun hat.

For purposes of this review, I mixed up some Life is Good products I've never seen or tried (a winter hat and little boy socks) with a couple of my favorite long sleeve T-shirts for toddler boys. I can't wait for winter to dress The Arrow up in these shirts:

Sizing Confusion
My only complaint about the Life is Good line is that sizes can be tricky to figure out. They don't come in your usual baby/toddler sizing options. In fact, I was most excited about the winter hat to keep The Arrow's noggin nice and warm during all kinds of adventures this winter. Sadly, it was far too big for him. (Not a total loss, as it fit me perfectly, so I decided not to return it.)

Other benefits of the Life is Good line:

I love their emphasis on the great outdoors. Many of their shirts and products have clever and catchy tag lines that encourage people (young and old!) to play outside.
Soft and comfortable. I've already mentioned that, but when you're dressing young kids, it is worth repeating.
Good variety. You'll find bags, clothes, socks, hats and so much more at this site. A good site to bookmark for Christmas gifts. If you're looking for more shopping suggestions, I enjoyed this review of a Life is Good journey tote at the Pitstops for Kids blog.
Easy online purchase experience. Other than a little trouble figuring out The Arrow's size, my online shopping experience at AppOutdoors.com was quick and easy.
Because I hate when an unexpected high shipping amount forces me to exceed my intended budget, my favorite aspect was that the shipping amount was clearly stated up front before I even began the checkout process.
Both Life is Good and AppOutdoors.com have a focus on environmental sustainability.

Disclosure: I received a $50 gift certificate to purchase Life is Good products from AppOutdoors.com. I was asked to write this review, but all opinions are my own and I was not asked to express a particular point of view.

This post is a part of Things I Love Thursday at The Diaper Diaries.

Nienaber's Farm Market: Pumpkins for my Little Pumpkin(s)!

2011-10-23T21:46:00.000-04:00

Last year, we went to a pretty simple farm stand to pick out pumpkins, called Nienaber's Farm Market. At Nienaber's, you won't find some of the typical trappings that many of the larger pumpkin patches in town offer, like hay rides, train rides, petting zoos, etc. But The Arrow was so excited to pick out pumpkins again this year that we thought we'd make that simple farm stand a family tradition. I kind of like how the focus stays on the pumpkins themselves. We can always do some of those other things a different day somewhere else and spread the fun throughout fall.

As a mom, the best part of any trip to the pumpkin patch is the great pictures you can get. Here are a few of my favorites.

Which one should I get?

Indulging mom in a picture next to the giant mums

Taking a rest and sharing a laugh with Mom

My favorite part of our pumpkin picking tradition is getting a pumpkin for each family member. This year, we got to add a new, itty bitty pumpkin to the mix.

Choosing the perfect pumpkin for Baby Arrow.

In five weeks, we'll be a family of four. You can tell just by looking at our front porch!

It's fun to dream about next year, when we'll get to take Baby Arrow to pick out his or her own pumpkin (I have no doubt Big Brother Arrow will help with the selection process!)

For more information on Nienaber's Farm Market, you can read my post from last fall at Visit Indiana.

What's your favorite pumpkin patch memory? The Arrow made an important discovery this year at the pumpkin patch. I'll be sharing that photo on Friday!

This post is a part of Mondays are for Dreaming at The Mother of All Trips.

Camping at Brookville Lake

2011-10-20T19:54:00.000-04:00

You know those travel memories that get better with time? This is not one of those. In fact, the more I reflect on our camping trip over Labor Day weekend at Brookville Lake, the more I realize what a total disaster it was. From horrendous weather, to parking tickets (yes, while camping!), to a bout with a stomach bug, it was not our finest hour as a traveling family. And yet it just hardens my resolve to get back out in the great outdoors and camp with my family all over again.

The location we chose was in no way a part of the problem. In fact, its natural beauty was one thing we really did enjoy to its fullest. I wrote about Brookville Lake State Park for Visit Indiana here.

On our one morning of good weather, we suited up for what we hoped would be several hours of fun in the sun at Brookville Lake's gorgeous beach.

Getting a feel for the sand.

And then The Arrow decided this was as close as he wanted to get to the water. He wouldn't take one more step, nor would he let us hold him.

Fortunately, there was a playground right off the beach, so my husband I just took turns watching him play while the other swam and relaxed. Not exactly the family experience we had imagined, but we made the best of it!

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby and Friday Daydreaming at R We There Yet Mom.

Speaking of R We There Yet Mom's blog, Rebecca was kind enough to allow me to guest post there this week. I wrote about some of my favorite off-the-beaten-path fun activities with kids in Indianapolis. Did you know Indy is hosting the 2012 Super Bowl this winter? These spots would be a great way to beat the crowds and have tons of fun with or without the kids in the Circle City!

Ethnic Expo 2011

2011-10-19T09:17:00.000-04:00

Last year, when we attended Ethnic Expo in our town of Columbus, Indiana as first-timers, I was shocked at what a large, diverse event it was. This year, being pros, I was much more focused on what food I would devour.

Ethnic Expo is a chance to travel the globe, sampling the finest of each country's cuisine as you wander from booth to booth. Many of the booths are staffed by the various international groups around town, so the food is typically quite authentic. While the crowds can be a bit overwhelming, particularly if you're schlepping a stroller with you, it's an experience that's worth a little inconvenience.

This year, I focused mostly on just one country. Korea drew me in, as a sweet Korean woman motioned me over and said, "Pregnant lady, I give you samples." Sold! After sampling, I purchased a bulgogi slider and vegetable rolls, both of which were delicious. They were long gone before I thought to take a picture.

My brother and sister-in-law got their taste buds fried with some spicy Indian samosas. My brother-in-law cooled things off with a trip to Taiwan.

My husband set his sights on the Cajun booth. By the time I took a picture of his plate, the gator nuggets were long gone (they were quite good, he graciously let me try one). And the red beans and rice were a great compliment.

We also took in some live music and relaxed on the big lawn in front of City Hall. Food like this is best enjoyed in bare feet with your toes in the grass, right?

Just another beautiful evening celebrating the world's diverse cuisine. I have no doubt we'll be back next year. Afterall, The Arrow grew tired and cranky before we could visit the dessert tent, which is just criminal.

Interested in learning more about this event? I previewed Ethnic Expo and described why I love it a few weeks ago for Visit Indiana.

This post is a part of Wanderfood Wednesday at Wanderlust and Lipstick.

A Week in My Life: Saturday and Sunday

2011-10-16T21:04:00.000-04:00

You just can't beat a beautiful fall weekend in the Midwest. The beauty of this season is a big reason why we love living in this part of the country. We did our best to savor autumn's bounty this weekend. Here are a few highlights:

Saturday Morning Nature Walk
Our church just developed a memory walk on its property (which is a beautiful piece of land at the foothills of Brown County, which is probably the most popular place to delight in fall in Indiana). We've been meaning to check it out before or after church for the past couple of months, but it just hasn't worked out. So we drove out that way and hiked the short trail on Saturday morning.

I got some fun pictures of our "walk in the woods" as The Arrow called it.

The Arrow made a new friend that morning when we stumbled upon a frog. Perfect timing, as I'm hoping to take him to the new frog exhibit at the Children's Museum of Indianapolis this week.

Dining Al Fresco
On Saturday night, we thought about taking The Arrow to his first movie, as the local theatre was showing Smurfs in the early evening. But the weather was just too perfectly crisp to spend indoors, so we chose to grill burgers and eat dinner outside instead.

This was followed by about an hour or so of outdoor playtime.

A Sunday Spent in the Leaves

Sunday morning after church and lunch, we tackled raking leaves.

The Arrow was a big help, as you can see (ahem...)

IndyCar Tragedy

We were supposed to babysit one of The Arrow's little arrow buddies in the evening, but she was sick. Instead, my husband fatefully flipped on the television to see who was winning some of the football games and to check in on the IndyCar race in Las Vegas. The minute he turned it to ABC, we just knew something had gone terribly wrong at the race. About an hour later, it was announced that Dan Wheldon, the winner of this year's Indy 500, had died in a horrific crash.

My husband and I enjoy following the IndyCar series, mostly because we are huge fans of the Indy 500, our community's premiere annual event. I've written about our enjoyment of the race often here. Needless to say, the unexpected and tragic death of such a popular and successful driver cast quite a shadow on the night.

But you can always count on the innocence of kids to lift your spirits. The Arrow was oblivious to what was unfolding on television, and he kept demanding a trip to the park. So off we went to the same park I wrote about on Friday, and it was a nice way to cap off the weekend on a positive note.

End of Week in My Life Series

It's been fun to blog nearly everyday (although I admittedly lost a little steam by the time the weekend rolled around). It certainly wasn't a typical week for us, but I guess no week ever is. I heard from lots of friends who enjoyed a little glimpse into our day-to-day life. I know I'll be glad I captured this moment in time. Afterall, we now have orange juice that expires by the time the baby will join our family!

Anyway, thanks for joining us this week. Kudos to Melissa at Adventuroo for putting all of this together. If you found this blog via her link-up and have enjoyed learning about our week, feel free to "like us" on Facebook and keep up with our family's adventures.

A Week in My Life: Friday

2011-10-14T21:25:00.000-04:00

The acronym TGIF has never rung truer for me than this week, this day. The Arrow slept for 13 1/2 straight hours Thursday night/Friday morning and was fever free when he finally woke up at 9:30 this morning. So we were able to cancel his chest x-ray. He gobbled down an enormous breakfast and couldn't wait to take out a bunch of toys. Back to his usual playful self.

By late morning, we were both itching to finally get out of the house for fun. I stole this picture idea from Jen at Two Kids and a Map. Such a typical scene in my car.

Hitting the road.

We headed to downtown Columbus, Indiana to visit Viewpoint Books, our local independent bookstore.

Checking out his reflection.

This is a great spot to take kids, because the entire back of the store is essentially a children's playroom. They sell a lot of Melissa & Doug toys here and they have a lot of stuff out of the box for kids to try out. I try to time our visits to this shop for when I need to buy a gift for someone so that I have a reason to financially support them. I picked up a Christmas gift for my niece and a baby shower gift while we were there today. It's fun to browse in peace while The Arrow is so entertained.

Little boys and trains.

We kicked off Friday night with a fun romp around the yard. It occurred to me tonight that I've never captured one of The Arrow's favorite activities on film. It's his dad's flying leaps over him. Mission accomplished tonight.

The benefits of being 6'4" when you're the dad of a 2-year-old.

Then we headed to the park. We're so lucky to live just a few blocks away from Freedom Field, a multi-million dollar playground facility. (I wrote about Freedom Field for Visit Indiana last fall).

He's always holding the sides of the stroller like that. So cute.

Tonight The Arrow spent lots of time on the swings. I loved this shot.

Weeeeeeee!

We're so relieved to have him feeling better just in time for a fun weekend. Happy Friday everyone!

Be sure to visit Adventuroo for more Week in My Life posts.

A Week in My Life: Thursday

2011-10-13T20:28:00.000-04:00

DOCTOR VISITS, INSPIRING BLOG POSTS, AND GIVING THANKS

Wow, has this Week in My Life idea spiraled in a different direction than I originally intended. I was really hoping to show what fun it can be to get out and do things with your kids all week. And here I sit, at the end of another day at home with a sick kid. This was my view for 90% of the day:

Then we turned the camera back on us:

Our only outing was to the pediatrician, where we scheduled a chest x-ray for tomorrow morning for The Arrow, unless he feels miraculously better and fever-free by then. It's hard to watch him so miserable, so lacking energy. (Although perhaps I should remind myself of this in the moments when I think, "can't you just SIT STILL!?")

On days like today, I'm reminded that this motherhood gig isn't for the faint of heart. I ran across this post today from The Gypsy Mama and it was exactly what I needed to hear, when I needed to hear it. (Thanks, Internet.) I put myself in a Mommy Timeout this afternoon, as the author suggested, and took a nap while The Arrow napped. I woke up refreshed and ready to dig back into the role of nurse. Seriously, if you're a mom and find yourself tired and stressed out, read that post. It's full of words and wisdom you need to hear.

The Arrow did find enough energy to drag himself off the couch and color with Dad this evening.

I wish I was telling you about The Arrow's day at preschool, the nature walk I had planned for the evening, and other fun tidbits from today. But I'm counting my many blessings tonight: a typically healthy kid, good medical care at my disposal, a caring and involved husband, and so much more.

Every night before we put The Arrow to bed, after his story but before his goodnight kiss, we take turns saying what we're thankful for today (I actually keep a list of what The Arrow says he's thankful for--perfect baby book filler). While I'm hoping for more fun days ahead than those we've had this week, my heart is still very full.

What do you read or do when you need a boost on a long day? How do you recharge your batteries?

**So many great and fun bloggers are participating in Adventuroo's Week in My Life. Be sure to head to her linkup and check some out:
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday

A Week in My Life: Wednesday

2011-10-12T21:41:00.000-04:00

GRANDPARENTS, CHIPOTLE, AND PUMPKINS

Today was an improvement over our sick day hibernation yesterday. I had a commitment in the morning, so my mom came down to watch The Arrow for a couple of hours. Even though he was feeling better, there's nothing more comforting to a worried mom than leaving him in such great hands when I have to be away. We're so lucky to have both sets of grandparents only an hour away.

Don't you love how The Arrow is holding her arm? He always does that when someone reads to him!

Ordinarily on Wednesdays, we go to storytime at our library. The Arrow absolutely loves it. He hangs on Miss Jody's every word, sings the songs, and lives for the little stamp he gets on his hand after it's over. We often spend at least another 30-45 minutes there checking out new books and playing with toys. I recently read this post: Ten Reasons I Hate the Library over at The Stir blog. I guess I can relate to some of her concerns, like bringing home germs. But the library is still one of our favorite things to do. I'm able to indulge The Arrow on all his latest interests (like his current obsession with Blue's Clues) without spending a dime on new books. Someday I'll write a post all about our love for this great place.

When I got home, we headed out to lunch at Chipotle. We sat outside on their patio and it was nice to catch up with my mom. I typically eat lunch out about once a week, just as a little treat to myself. I always enjoyed that aspect of my working life, and so I enjoy continuing it, even if it's on a greatly reduced scale. I like the idea of The Arrow learning to behave in restaurants, and practice makes perfect.

Late afternoon, I got cracking on a special dinner project. We visited a pumpkin patch over the weekend, and I kept telling The Arrow we were going to eat one of the pumpkins we bought. He was totally fascinated by this. This is my Pinterest recipe for the week and it's an Alton Brown pumpkin soup recipe where the soup cooks in the pumpkin itself. It was delicious (of course, I doubled the amount of goat cheese the recipe called for, which always helps). I may have to make it again to freeze before pumpkin season is over.

The Arrow showing off his big boy underwear while watching Curious George on the iPad

The rest of our evening was fairly uneventful. The Arrow was tired and cranky from a short nap this afternoon, and so bedtime came earlier than usual. I'm hoping he'll feel well enough for preschool tomorrow so that I might actually be able to write a blog post about a "typical" Thursday around here. A highlight for me today was the arrival of some great stuff I'll be reviewing on this blog in the next few weeks. I'm excited to try these products out and report back! Here's a sneak peak:

A Week in My Life: Tuesday

2011-10-11T21:16:00.000-04:00

FEVERS, PEDIATRICIANS, AND PAMPERING: GETTING THROUGH A "SICK DAY"

Didn't I end yesterday's post saying that I'd be writing about mom's groups and pumpkins today? Check that. If it's one thing I've learned as a mom, it's that things don't always go to plan. Today has been another reminder of that.

Yesterday afternoon and evening, The Arrow didn't really seem quite right. Sure enough around 11 last night, he woke up crying and when I went in his room, he was ON FIRE. 103.5 fever. I ended up sleeping all night curled up on one side of his little bed (not so easy at 8 months pregnant). Needless to say, we spent all day today snuggled on the couch together reading books, watching PBS and trying to rest.

So much for providing inspiration to get out of the house more, huh? We did run out briefly since we were out of children's ibuprofen. And for about 20 minutes, The Arrow actually had some energy and we played outside.

The only other exciting news to report is that I fired my pediatrician. I called this morning just to see if there was any concern over the 103.5 temp or things I should be doing to help him get better. The nurse who answered said to call back in three days if he still had a fever that high, or to wait until it got to 107! 107?! I thought for sure I misunderstood her, but I hadn't. This was my breaking point with this practice, and so I got some recommendations from friends and made the change while The Arrow napped this afternoon.

So what would we have done today? Tuesdays we go to my mom's group meeting in the morning. I get to hang with other moms while The Arrow spends the morning in a class of fellow toddlers where they do fun things like play on the playground, sing songs, color, and have snacks. Pretty sweet gig for both of us. In the evening, we were going to be fans at my husband's recreation basketball league game. It's one of The Arrow's favorite activities, so he was sad to see Dad depart in his bball gear without us. A good incentive to rest and get well, I told him!

I was also going to make a great pumpkin soup recipe. I'm hoping to make it tomorrow, so stay tuned.

Looking on the bright side, at least Baby Arrow is perfectly fine and healthy! Now it's time to put a heating pad on my aching back, prop up my feet, and hope for a quiet night in my own bed!

7 Weeks To Go!

Any tips for surviving sick days around the house? Confession: I turned to peanut butter M&Ms and McDonalds Diet Coke for comfort and energy today!

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A Week in My Life: Monday

2011-10-10T22:07:00.000-04:00

I'm excited to share my first post as a part of Adventuroo's A Week in My Life link-up. You can read more about why I'm doing this here. I won't go into this much detail every day, but as a starting point I wanted to give you a sense of a typical day around here, from beginning to end.

WAL-MART AND CRAFTS, OH MY!

Mondays are typically one of our flexible days during the week (no commitments or set schedule). Today we desperately needed groceries, so we headed to the store mid-morning. I know a lot of parents try to avoid shopping with their toddlers. I can relate... there's nothing worse than a 2-year-old meltdown in aisle 11. I've experienced a few of them, that's for sure. But for the most part, our hour or two at the store is a relatively enjoyable experience.

Making Grocery Shopping with a Toddler Fun:

Pretend it's a museum. Even Wal-Mart is interesting to a young kid. The Arrow loves fish, so the first thing we do when we walk in the store is to go and see "Dorothy." (The name of Elmo's pet fish, naturally.) Lately we've been swinging by the obnoxious holiday displays so he can see a gigantic inflatable Santa pop out of a Christmas tree (who buys this stuff?!)

Let them help. I explain to The Arrow what we're looking for and ask for his help. He also gets to drop fruits and veggies in the plastic produce bags. And sometimes if I'm feeling brave, I let him hold my coupons or my list.
Snacks. Duh. You might need one of these.
Let them choose. For the last couple of months, I've let The Arrow pick something to get while we're in the produce aisle. He's much more interested in actually eating the food he picks when we get home. Three cheers for broccoli consumption!

Putting Pinterest to Work

I recently got sucked into the big, deep hole that is Pinterest. And while it's been an enormous time-waster (but also so fun and addicting!), I'm determined to make it a more productive use of my time. So my new goal is to do at least one of the kid-friendly activities and cook at least one of the recipes I've "pinned" each week.

(Interested in learning more about Pinterest? You can follow my boards over here.)

If it's one thing that I've taken away from The Arrow's start of preschool this year, it's that he loves little crafty projects (a boy after his mama's heart, that's for sure!) Aside from coloring, we haven't done any type of artwork or crafts at home. I'm hoping some of the ideas I'm finding on Pinterest will help change that. So today after lunch, I decided to make Leaf Finger Puppets with The Arrow. We made turkeys, and our version turned out like this:

I originally found them at a great kiddie craft blog called Make and Takes. We made them a little more low-maintenance and cheap, but same general idea.

Then came naptime and a snack, followed by those two hours when we try to amuse ourselves while waiting for Dad to get home. All the while, we were smelling this Spinach Lasagna cooking in the crockpot. The Arrow woke up from his nap not feeling all that great, so he was particularly cranky and difficult to please today. Ugh.

Then the heavens opened up, choirs of angels sang, and the sound of the garage door opening filled the room. DAD'S HOME!!!!! We usually eat dinner right away, and then my husband plays with The Arrow upstairs while I clean up and relax amid peace and quiet for 20 minutes or so. Tonight, they capped off their dad and son time with a bike ride. I retired my bike a few weeks ago when it was getting a little too painful (and my thighs were hitting my belly!)

When they got home, we ate popsicles on the front porch. Then, blissful bedtime. Here are a few more photos that captured our day:

Carefully selecting his leaves for his turkey puppets.

Coloring his turkey.

Snuggling with Mom, eating a popsicle

How do you make trips to the grocery store more fun? Any crafts you enjoy doing with young kids? Feel free to leave a comment.

Tomorrow I'll be writing about mom's groups and pumpkins!

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Capturing "A Week in my Life"

2011-10-09T15:59:00.000-04:00

When I read Melissa at Adventuroo's post about her upcoming week-long link-up chronicling your everyday life for an entire week, I just thought it would be fun reading material to entertain me this week. And then something about the post nagged at me for the next few hours. While I know blogging everyday for an entire week will be a lot of work, I think the timing is just perfect, and so I've signed on to participate.

What are we up to this week, Mom?

We're due to have a baby on December 1. For the last 2 1/2 years we've been a family of three. Aside from this blog, a couple of Snapfish photo books, and a sorely incomplete baby book, all of the memories from this time period are trapped in my head. What better way to capture this moment in time, before it changes quite drastically, than by writing about our average days during an average week.

It also fits well with two of the reasons that I blog. One is to serve as a record of sorts for my own family. I hope The Arrow and his soon-to-be younger brother/sister look back at what I've written and appreciate some of the details I've captured from trips and outings. The other reason I blog is to hopefully encourage other moms and dads to get out more and explore with their kids. So perhaps by sharing a typical week around here, I can accomplish both those things. I plan to include some tips and ideas throughout the week to make it worth your while.

Besides, I'm big, fat and pregnant (and often barefoot, come to think of it). I definitely don't have much planned to do during The Arrow's naps this week. I'm certainly NOT cleaning my house, that's for sure.

So that's what I'll be up to this week.

Thanks to Melissa at the Adventuroo for hosting those of us crazy enough to blog daily this week. If you're a blogger and are interested in participating, she's giving away a pretty snazzy camera bag to one lucky participant, so be sure to link up.

Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory in Photos

2011-10-06T22:54:00.001-04:00

On Monday, I shared highlights and info from our trip to the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory in Fort Wayne. As typically happens to me whenever I'm in a beautiful place like this, I got a little photo happy. So here are a few more pictures from our time there.

I was particularly taken with the Flower Power exhibit (pictured above). I liked the balance between the 60s inspiration and Mother Nature's own rainbow of colors. It's only at the Conservatory temporarily, through November 13, when it will be replaced with a holiday exhibit. So get there while you can.

I just happened to catch my husband in a moment of peace and quiet in the Tropical Garden. A rare thing when traveling with a 2-year-old. But that's exactly why I enjoy visiting places like this, where everyone is free to wander and marvel at their surroundings.

And while most of the exhibit space is indoors, ensuring that all this gorgeousness can be enjoyed year-round, there is some outdoor garden space. They were setting up for a wedding while we were there. (If I were the bride's florist, I'd be awfully nervous that my bouquet just wouldn't measure up!)

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby. I'm also linking up to Friday Daydreaming at R We There Yet Mom?

Disclosure: My family's admission to the Botanical Conservatory was provided by Visit Fort Wayne. I was under no obligation to write about our time there, and all opinions are my own.

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Playgrounds Put the Play in Vacation

2011-10-05T21:49:00.000-04:00

If you're the parent of a two-year-old, then spending time at your neighborhood playground is practically a weekly, if not daily, outing. It's not always my favorite way to spend time... sometimes it is downright boring to push a swing over and over again, it can be brutally hot in the summer, and I certainly don't enjoy the "it is time to go home now" battles. But even I will admit that it can be a great time-killer and energy-burner.

But when we're on vacation? I always love finding a good playground. There's a certain element of discovery (not just in tracking down the location itself, but The Arrow loves exploring some new equipment).

Playgrounds with palm trees in Florida

Sometimes the scenery itself is gorgeous, like this playground that bordered the ocean in North Redington Beach, Florida. Being from Indaina, we don't often play under the shade of palm trees afterall. It was a perfect place to let The Arrow get the wiggles out before we sat down to a nice dinner during our trip to Tampa/St. Petersburg.

Pitstop playground in Peoria

A roadside playground can be a lifesaver on a long road trip. Some fresh air and lots of body movement opportunities! This playground in Peoria, Illinois was attached to a Joe's Crab Shack right on the riverfront area. At the halfway point on our drive from Indiana to Iowa City, we all needed a little break.

Playtime Boston-style

Our Boston trip was jam-packed with sightseeing, which often meant The Arrow was confined to a stroller or sitting still on the T. The playground in Southwest Corridor Park just outside our Jamaica Plain rental house was such a great way for him to burn off steam.

Swinging in South Haven

We've even celebrated some "firsts" while checking out playgrounds on vacation. When we ran out of baby toys to entertain then six-month old Arrow during our first family vacation in South Haven, Michigan, we ventured to the park and he got to experience the thrill of his first time on the swings. He may have been wee bit too small for it, but it was love at first sight, as he's still swinging to this day!

Sometimes unique playgrounds can be destinations themselves, especially combined with a short day trip somewhere close to home. I've profiled a couple of favorites at Visit Indiana:

Playscape Playground at Danville's Ellis Park (Danville, Indiana)
Freedom Field: Where Everyone Can Play (Columbus, Indiana)

Resources for finding playgrounds while traveling:

So if you find your kids are getting a little cranky on a trip, ask yourself if you've incorporated enough play. And then hit the local park or recreation area and let them loose for an hour or two! You may even get a feel for what it's truly like to live in the area you're visiting by talking with some local moms and dads.

Any favorite playground memories from your travels? Please share them in the comments!

This post is a part of Things I Love Thursday at Diaper Diaries.

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Fort Wayne's Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory

2011-10-03T10:38:00.000-04:00

Just as I was surprised by the quality experience we had at the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo, I was equally blown away by the amazing Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory just a few minutes down the road in downtown Fort Wayne. The Conservatory is essentially an indoor/outdoor botanical garden. Such a great idea in the temperamental climate of northern Indiana, ensuring it is enjoyed year-round. (In fact, I think it would make a great winter outing, as the vibrant plantlife would surely cure even the worst winter blues!)

Visiting the Botanical Conservatory
The facility itself is gorgeous. Beautifully cared for, absolutely spotless. The staff that greeted us was extremely friendly, gave us an overall sense of how to experience the Conservatory, and even pointed out what would be of greatest interest to The Arrow. That type of service is so helpful to a family visiting an attraction for the first time.

Types of Plants
I really liked the variety that the Conservatory provided. Unlike many botanical gardens which focus on a particular genre of plantlife or climate, here you'll find everything from native Indiana flowers and trees, to varieties found in the rain forest, to desert dwellers. In the photo below, you see The Arrow welcoming us into the Flower Power Summer of Love exhibit.

Later, The Arrow led us through the Desert Gardens. (You'll sense a trend here... he was always so excited to see what was coming next that he spent the entire visit about 20 steps ahead of us.)

Focus on Kids
Another feature that makes the Botanical Conservatory such a great spot for families is the effort made to interest kids. There were several educational play areas throughout our walk through the Conservatory, where we could stop and let The Arrow explore at his level.

He was taken with the garden, where he could plant some veggies of his own.

In keeping with the farm-to-table trend that's all the rage these days, he could later pay for his produce at the grocery story.

There's also a talking tree and a giant tunnel where kids can pretend to be worms. They've set up these play areas in such a way that it's not intrusive to the other Conservatory patrons, but yet it also enhances the visit experience for young kids.

This post is a part of Mondays are for Dreaming at The Mother of All Trips. My husband teases me relentlessly about my love of botanical gardens (he's convinced I try to visit one in each place we travel to). Guilty as charged. What are some of your favorites? This one in Fort Wayne is definitely on my list (as is the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix), but I'd love to daydream about others!

I'll be posting more photos from our visit to Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory on Friday, as part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby, so be sure to check back.

If You Visit:
Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory
1100 South Calhoun Street, Fort Wayne
Hours are listed here. Note: Closed Mondays.
Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for kids 3-17.
Insider Tip: While the Conservatory is accessible and strollers are allowed, this was definitely a place where The Arrow preferred to walk. We wished we had left the stroller in the car.

Disclosure: My family's admission to the Botanical Conservatory was provided by Visit Fort Wayne. I was under no obligation to write about our time there, and all opinions are my own.

Like what you see? Then "like" Arrows Sent Forth on Facebook!

Swan Boat Rides in Boston

2011-09-29T21:51:00.000-04:00

Prior to heading to Boston this summer, I checked out the famous children's book Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey* from our library. I was hoping it would be a simple way to introduce the city and some of the sites to The Arrow before arriving. (If you're not familiar with the story, it's about a family of ducks who settle in the Boston Commons.) Alas, while he is a voracious reader, he never really took to the book and hardly glanced at it in the weeks preceding our trip. Not a total loss, though. I loved it and flipped through it several times before I returned it.

That book, in combination with several blog friends' recommendations, put a swan boat ride in the Boston Public Garden at the top of my list of things I wanted to do while visiting the city. So on our first morning there, we made that our first stop.

We arrived right as it opened at 10 a.m. and only had to stand in line briefly. It gave us a chance to watch the first few boats depart.

Insider Tip: If you find yourself waiting in a long line for the boats, I'd tag-team the parenting. Have someone wait in line until you get close to the boat house, while the other runs around in the park with the kids.

The ride itself was a pleasurable 15 minutes or so. Just long enough to hold a toddler's attention without getting too wiggly.

The Gardens itself are a beautiful spot in the city and you get a pretty good glimpse of them throughout the boat ride. Even if you don't have kids, it's a pleasurable experience. At least, that's what I hope these two travel companions would say. (My poor brother and sister-in-law got dragged on all kinds of toddler adventures while we were in Boston.)

After taking a boat ride, you're only steps away from a carousel, playground and the Boston Common Frog Pond. We walked by these fun attractions, but they weren't open for the day yet. If you time your visit right, you could easily fill a morning or afternoon in this part of the city.

If You Visit:
Swan Boats
The Boston Public Garden is bound by Arlington, Boylston, Charles and Beacon Streets. The Green Line Arlington Station is the closest T stop.
$2.75 for adults, $1.50 for children 2-15.
The 2011 season has concluded. The swan boats will begin running again sometime in April of 2012.
Insider Tip: There's not really a good place to park a stroller. We had a cheap one with us, so we felt comfortable just folding it up and parking it near a bench while we rode the boat. If you're traveling with an expensive stroller, consider bringing a lock of some sort to protect it from theft.

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

Like what you see? Then "like" Arrows Sent Forth on Facebook! You might also enjoy my Boston Trip Report, chronicling our 5 days in the city.

*Links to my Amazon Affiliate account. A small portion of any sales made through these links will come back to support this blog, but this does not in any way increase the cost of purchase for you.

Win Tickets to Max and Ruby Live

2011-09-24T20:02:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite memories from last year was taking The Arrow to the Yo Gabba Gabba Live show. I know not everyone allows their kids to watch television (and I say bravo to anyone who manages to avoid it!). But taking The Arrow to a fancy theatre to see his favorite characters come to life was a really unique experience for him that I certainly won't forget. It can be hard to find age appropriate cultural experiences like this for toddlers and preschoolers, and at least these traveling shows provide a mechanism to do that.

The cost of these live shows can be prohibitive though, especially when you're pricing tickets for the whole family. So I'm excited to be giving away a family 4-pack of tickets to the upcoming Max and Ruby Live Show at the Murat Theatre in downtown Indianapolis.

Max and Ruby Live
Saturday, October 8
4 p.m. show (doors open at 3 p.m.)
Balcony seats (valued at $28.50 each)
Murat Theatre at Old National Centre
502 N. New Jersey Street

Giveaway Rules:
Deadline to enter is midnight on Sunday, October 2. On Monday, October 3, I will randomly draw one lucky winner. I will do my best to contact that winner (so make sure you provide some contact info!) You will have 24 hours to respond to me, and if I don't hear from you, then I will move on to another. So on and so forth.

4 Ways to Win:

Please leave me a comment telling me your favorite kid-friendly outing.
"Like" Arrows Sent Forth on Facebook and leave a comment to tell me you've done so. (If you already do, tell me that!)
Follow me on Twitter at @arrowssentforth and leave a comment to tell me you've done so. (If you already do, tell me that!)
Share a link to this giveaway through a social media outlet of your choice, and leave me a comment to tell me you've done so.

Good luck!

If you're visiting Arrows Sent Forth for the first time, and are from the Indianapolis-area, you may be interested in reading some of my family's Indiana Adventures. Perhaps it'll inspire your family to try a new destination and go on an Indiana adventure of your own! If so, I'd love to hear about it!

Disclosure: I received the family 4-pack of tickets to Max and Ruby Live free of charge from a local PR agency. I received no other compensation nor did I receive tickets to the show beyond this giveaway. This is just a way for me to thank you for reading and hopefully provide some fun family memories!

I'm linking up to Things I Love Thursday at The Diaper Diaries.

The Flying V at the NCAA Hall of Champions

2011-09-22T22:13:00.000-04:00

Football season is in full gear around here. We're cheering on our favorite teams (c'mon Peyton, we NEED you!), I'm cooking up a big pot of chili this weekend, and our city is even preparing to host the biggest of all football celebrations, the Super Bowl!

Not only is Indy home to this enormous sporting event in February 2012, but it's also where you'll find the NCAA Hall of Champions, a museum dedicated to collegiate sports. This statue will greet you as you enter the museum:

If you know anything about football, you might recognize this formation at the Flying V or Flying Wedge. It's because of the Flying V and it's dangerous impact on the sport that the NCAA was formed. It was causing serious injuries, even deaths, and colleges and universities began to organize in order to address the situation. Soon the NCAA was formed. The Flying V has since been banned in nearly all organized sports. (More about the history of the NCAA is here.)

If you're visiting Indianapolis with kids, particularly those interested in sports, the NCAA Hall of Champions would be a great spot to burn off some energy!

If You Visit:
NCAA Hall of Champions
700 W. Washington Street, Indianapolis
Open Tuesday-Saturday, 10-5, and Sunday, 12-5.
Adult admission is $5. Kids 5-18 are $3. 5 and under are free.

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

Like what you see? Then "like" Arrows Sent Forth on Facebook! And speaking of fun attractions in Indianapolis, I've got a great giveaway planned for next week if you live in the area. Be sure to check back and enter!

Disclosure: I was invited to tour the NCAA Hall of Champions as part of a White River State Park press trip, which included my admission. I was under no obligation to write about my time at the museum, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Sky City Cafe at the Eiteljorg Museum

2011-09-21T20:47:00.000-04:00

I'm typically not a fan of museum cafeterias. I usually find the food to be boring and overpriced. Plus, the atmosphere often reminds me of my own high school cafeteria. (Dark, windowless rooms with little decor and unnatural lighting... sound like your high school?) There's just something about stark tables and feeding people sandwiches en masse that takes away from what's otherwise a fun, cultural experience.

So I'm happy to report that the Sky City Cafe at the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis actually enhances a visit to the museum. Nearly all the food is inspired by the American Southwest region or Native American heritage.

The Food at Sky City Cafe

For example, the fruit salad you see above is topped with a prickly pear dressing. It's just sweet enough to heighten the flavors of the ripe fruit. And my Mohave Valley sandwich is a portabello mushroom, typed with queso fresco, and other yummy veggies.

In my pregnant stage, I don't usually order up a salad for lunch because it just isn't filling enough to keep me going all afternoon. But I have to admit I was jealous of this Oregon Trail Salad ordered by the guest sitting next to me (who was kind enough to let me photograph his lunch before he dug in). The chipotle grilled chicken looked so moist and was piled so high I'm sure it would fill up even the hungriest of guests.

A full menu is available here if you're mouth isn't already watering. There's also a kids menu that features some "safe" choices for the picky eaters, but also a few options with southwestern flair for those a little more adventurous.

The Atmosphere at Sky City Cafe

The atmosphere lives up to the delicious bites. On a nice day, my preference would be to sit outside on the terrace, which overlooks downtown Indy's beautiful Canal Walk. But the inside dining area is certainly an upgrade from the typical museum cafeteria, with warm colors and big windows that let in a lot of natural light.

If you're not planning a visit to the Eiteljorg (which you should reconsider!), you can dine at Sky City Cafe without paying admission to the museum. They'll also comp your parking. This makes the cafe a great choice for downtown workers looking for a little variety in their usual lunch options. It appeared many were rolling up their dress shirt sleeves and catching some sun while they dined when I visited in June.

More Information About the Eiteljorg

Earlier this week, I posted a daydream about my time at the Eiteljorg. Last week, I had a guest post at Midwest Guest about the more practical aspects of a visit to the Eiteljorg. You might also enjoy my friend Amy's post about the Sky City Cafe, at her Food Flights blog.

This post is a part of Wanderfood Wednesday at Wanderlust and Lipstick.

Like what you see? Then "like" Arrows Sent Forth on Facebook!

Disclosure: I was invited to tour the Eiteljorg Museum as part of a White River State Park press trip, which included my admission and lunch at Sky City Cafe. I was under no obligation to write about my time at the museum, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Eiteljorg Museum: Inspiring Travels Westward

2011-09-19T09:24:00.000-04:00

Last week, Dominique at Midwest Guest (one of my favorite Midwestern travel blogs) offered me the opportunity to guest post. I wrote about my time at the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis. The Eiteljorg Museum, devoted to Western and Native American art, may seem a little misplaced situated in the center of the Hoosier state. But I loved the way it transported me to an entirely different region of the country.

My post at Midwest Guest provides an overall synopsis of a visitor's experience. And while I would have never guessed it, the Eiteljorg is also very kid-friendly. I hope to take The Arrow to the museum's Western Family Experience and Jingle Rails exhibits in November before Baby Arrow comes.

But what lingers for me, weeks after my afternoon at the Eiteljorg, is a strong pull to visit New Mexico and other regions of the American Southwest. My time in this area of the country is limited--aside from a couple of trips to Phoenix that mostly involved laying around the pool (not that there's anything wrong with that!)

It would be a chance to introduce to The Arrow to scenery so foreign to him. Like the red hills that Georgia O'Keeffe so beautifully depicts here:

Or the pueblo she paints here:

In fact, I love Georgia O'Keeffe's work so much that I really want to plan a trip to the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum in Sante Fe.

And I'd love to get back to Sedona and see images like this by Arturo Antonio Chavez:

What about a night camping in a tipi or wigwam?

It may be quite some time before I make a trip like this out West. For now, at least the Eiteljorg and its spectacular collection of art can take me there in my imagination and introduce even more of our country's unique landscapes and cultures to The Arrow when he visits.

If You Visit:
Eiteljorg Museum
500 W. Washington Street, Indianapolis
Open Monday-Saturday, 10-5 and Sunday 12-5
Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for kids 5-17, under 4 are free.
Insider Tip: You can park for free in the White River State Park garage just west of the museum.

This post is a part of Mondays are for Dreaming at The Mother of All Trips. On Wednesday, I'll be posting about the great southwestern food you'll find at the Eiteljorg's Sky City Cafe.

Like what you see? Then "like" Arrows Sent Forth on Facebook!

Disclosure: I was invited to tour the Eiteljorg Museum as part of a White River State Park press trip, which included my admission. I was under no obligation to write about my time at the museum, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Fort Wayne Children's Zoo

2011-09-15T21:49:00.000-04:00

The Arrow continues to be pretty fascinated by animals of all kinds, so zoos are a favorite family outing for us. When I heard that the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo in northern Indiana was rated as one of the best zoos for kids in the country, I figured it was worthy of a road trip. And we were not disappointed.

My favorite aspect of any good zoo is the chance to get up close and personal with the animals. Why hello, Baby Giraffe! (Doesn't The Arrow look so calm?) Be sure to visit the giraffe feeding station, it was outstanding.

See ya later alligator!

And while we were really impressed with the variety of animals (particularly for a small city like Fort Wayne), The Arrow also enjoyed the man-made entertainment, like a ride on the Sky Safari.

It made me a little nervous to be up so high with him (much like our skylift ride at Natural Bridge State Park in Kentucky), but the view of the Africa exhibit was worth it.

I'll be posting more photos from our time at the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo all weekend at the Arrows Sent Forth Facebook page, so be sure to "like" us!

If You Visit:
Fort Wayne Children's Zoo
3411 Sherman Boulevard, Fort Wayne, Indiana
Adults admission: $13 Children 2-14: $8.50 (Parking is free, rides are extra)
Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The zoo closes for the season on October 9 and will re-open in April.
Insider Tip: I offered a few ways to save money when visiting the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo in my post for Visit Indiana a few weeks ago.

Disclosure: My family's admission to the zoo was provided by Visit Fort Wayne. We paid for rides and other expenses. I was under no obligation to write about our time there, and all opinions are my own.

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

My Tips for Traveling While Pregnant

2011-09-12T21:59:00.002-04:00

Whew... it's been a busy summer! I'm still unpacking from our last trip but thought I better write a post about traveling while pregnant while it's all still fresh in my mind. Because if there's one symptom of pregnancy that I suffer from thoroughly, it's forgetfulness!

1.) Timing. The bulk of our travels during this pregnancy have occurred during the blissful second trimester. When my energy was at its peak and sickness and discomfort were at a minimum. This means I haven't done a darn thing to get ready for Baby Arrow to arrive, but at least I have lots of fun memories!

2.) Snacks. I didn't experience this nearly as much with my first pregnancy, but this time around, I feel really lousy if I haven't had something to eat just about every two hours. Since that doesn't always correspond with a meal time, I have tried to plan accordingly by always carrying a small snack with me. A few of my favorites are Clif Bar Energy Bars,* Emerald Breakfast On The Go snack packs,* or just some crackers, an apple or banana. I even keep a few granola bars in my car for unexpected hunger attacks or traffic delays.

3.) Water. I'm so sick of drinking water, but I try to keep some with me at all times while I'm traveling. If you already have a small child, I definitely recommend investing in a cup holder for your stroller. This makes hydrating on the go much easier. I really like this Munchkin Stroller Insulated Cup Holder* because it fits on all our strollers. (Note: Unsnap it from the stroller before you gate check it if you're flying. Our holder snapped off in transit.)

Flying with a bump and a toddler

4.) Daily rest time. Fortunately (for so many reasons), The Arrow still takes an afternoon nap, even when we travel. While in the past, we've been content to let him do that in the car or stroller, during our travels this summer we made it a point to head back to our rental home or hotel so that I could have some R and R also. This really helped me to enjoy the evenings instead of feeling like I might collapse.

5.) Be active at home, too. I've been trying to either walk or bike daily when we're at home, in addition to my normal caring-for-a-2-year-old activity. It has helped me to keep up with my family on our adventures when we're away from home without my body going into total shock. I've been a lot more active this pregnancy than I was during my first, and I feel so much better for it. If the weather doesn't allow you to get out, then perhaps you can do a pregnancy workout from home. I recommend Prenatal Yoga by Shiva Rea* as a good, relaxing yet strength-building workout.

6.) Avoid the stairs. While ordinarily, I would never waste time seeking out an elevator just to avoid going up a couple of flights of stairs, I have done so lately. (I used The Arrow's stroller as an excuse, but I did this a lot when coming up from the T stations in Boston.) So many places are handicap accessible now, so I just keep an eye out for the wheelchair symbols or elevator signs. I think it saves me some physical exertion and helps me stay energetic for longer periods of time. (Or maybe I'm just lazy!)

7.) Build in a day of rest. It's not always possible, but we've tried to return home a day prior to my husband going back to work. This gives me a chance to rest when we get back, which I have found I really need. When my husband has returned to work the day after we get home, then I try to make sure The Arrow and I don't have much planned so that we can just chill out and rest. I find he needs this too, and we're all happier for it.

8.) Flip flops. This is not normally the footwear I recommend for traveling, especially if you're doing a lot of walking. But my feet tend to expand, swell, and just change rapidly throughout the day when it's hot, and quality flip flops have allowed that to happen in relative comfort. I really like the Teva Women's Olawahu* style.

9.) Invest in a few maternity dresses. Nothing fancy, I'm talking about cotton, summery sundresses (if you're traveling in the summer). I own a few, and they were great to take on trips. They took up less room in the suitcase and were much cooler because it was only one layer to deal with, instead of maternity top, shorts, camisole, etc.

10.) Baby Powder. I don't leave home without my Johnson's Baby Powder* (preferably in a travel size). I don't normally sweat much, but I do when I'm pregnant. My sister suggested baby powder and by applying it each morning in trouble spots before we head out to sightsee, hike, or whatever we have planned, I'm much more comfortable throughout the day. My apologies if this is a bit TMI.

Speaking of TMI, who has a suggestion for avoiding restroom breaks every 45 minutes on road trips? I became quite familiar with far too many exits on I-74 between Indiana and Iowa this weekend.

*Links to my Amazon Affiliate account. A small portion of any sales made through these links will come back to support this blog, but this does not in any way increase the cost of purchase for you.

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This post is a part of Top 10 Tuesday at Oh Amanda.

They Work Hard for the Money

2011-09-01T22:05:00.000-04:00

In honor of the Labor Day holiday weekend, I thought I'd share some fun and interesting photos from unique jobs we've spotted while traveling.

Can you imagine cleaning this tank at the Florida Aquarium in Tampa?

I bet this dinosaur has both delighted and petrified many tiny visitors to the Children's Museum of Indianapolis. (The Arrow had trouble deciding which emotion to go with.)

During our trip to Boston, this young man maneuvered our Swan Boat around the pond by pedaling. He claimed it's only a little harder than riding a bike, but with about 20 people on the boat, I'm not so sure I believe him.

And this grist mill operator at Spring Mill State Park knew so much about the fascinating history of the mill. I can't imagine giving a 20 minute speech while operating a 100+ year-old piece of equipment.

While my family is all play and no work during our travels, we sure do appreciate all the hard working folks who make our trips so much fun! Happy Labor Day!

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

Lunch at Zingerman's Deli in Ann Arbor

2011-08-30T22:32:00.000-04:00

Even though I'm a planner at heart, my favorite part about traveling and visiting new places is those unexpected discoveries that leave you smiling for days. I had one such experience at Zingerman's Deli in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

If you're familiar with Zingerman's, you're probably assuming I fell head over heals for their famous corned beef sandwiches. Or maybe it was the deli cases that sucked me in. Or the hip, kitschy atmosphere. Truthfully, that was all wonderful.

Chicken salad sandwich at Zingerman's Deli

I passed on the corned beef and ordered a personal favorite: a chicken salad sandwich. It was awesome. Creamy, but not too much mayo. Lots of tender pieces of chicken and crisp celery. Perfectly seasoned. But it's not what brought a smile to my face.

Patio at Zingerman's Deli

I got to sit outside with a magazine on the sunny patio and read for pleasure for more than an hour. Which also left me very happy and content.

But what will I remember most about Zingerman's? The birch beer soda.

Creamy Red Birch Beer Soda at Zingerman's Deli

You see, when I was kid growing up in Connecticut, we spent many weekend meals visiting my grandparents for lunch or dinner. My dad is the youngest of 10 siblings, and I'm the youngest of 28 grandkids. This meant family gatherings at their apartment (oh yes, I said apartment) were high on the chaos scale. So while my mother was normally very attentive to the amount of sugary drinks my sister and I consumed, we quickly learned that she was far too distracted by the number of people crammed into a tiny space to know what type of shenanigans we were up to when we visited. (Sorry, Mom.)

And if it's one thing you could count on my grandparents to have stocked up, it was birch beer. Tons and tons of this clear, delicious root beer-type of drink. I think my sister and I guzzled it down by the gallon whenever we visited.

Given the number of grandchildren they had (and the language barrier--they only spoke French), my grandparents couldn't always show the type of individual attention or gift-giving that some grandparents shower upon their grandkids. But always having birch beer for us kids and a big, strong hug to greet us? We never doubted how much they loved us.

But between moving to Indiana (where I've never seen it in a store or on a menu), and my grandparents' subsequent passing, I haven't had a drop of birch beer since I was 10 years old. When I approached the soda dispenser at Zingerman's, I was startled to see that my typical choice of a Diet Coke wasn't there. Instead, Zingerman's serves Boylan's Fountain Soda, a specialty line of bubbly beverages. I quickly glanced at my options and when I saw "Creamy Red Birch Beer" was a choice, I think I almost fainted.

While it wasn't the same clear color I remember from my childhood, the red version tasted just the same. I think I sucked down three glasses before taking a final refill to go.

What's that people say about drinking alone?

I was far too embarassed to photograph myself drinking soda in front of all the other diners on the patio. So this was taken in the privacy of my car.

Zingerman's, I don't know if anyone has ever thanked you for offering birch beer. If not, let me be the first. It's been well over a decade since I saw my grandparents, but I sure felt them that day at lunch.

You can read more about my kid-free day in Ann Arbor here.

This post is a part of Wanderfood Wednesday at Wanderlust and Lipstick.

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A Day in Ann Arbor, Michigan Without The Kids

2011-08-29T08:38:00.001-04:00

A few weeks ago, my sister called me out of the blue and invited me to join her in Ann Arbor, Michigan for a kid-free overnight (scheduled for the very next day). I'm sure she thought I'd say no, afterall, she's the spontaneous one in the family and this trip required jumping in the car without much thought. Not really my style.

But I hung up the phone and thought, if not now, then when? Baby Arrow's arrival is quickly approaching, and impromptu road trips will become a thing of the past (temporarily, I hope!) My sister and I both have young kids, so the time we spend together is typically consumed by wiping noses, fixing lunches, and desperately trying to get all the kids to nap at the same time (which we are rarely successful at doing). So 24 hours without those obligations and lots of time to chat in the car sounded really good.

Off we went... she was there for a conference, leaving me with several hours in beautiful Ann Arbor to roam and explore on my own. Heaven.

Kerrytown Market

I spent the first couple of hours at Sweetwaters Cafe, a coffee shop in the Kerrytown Market to finish up some writing deadlines that were breathing down my neck. While it sounds a bit boring, any stay-at-home mom will tell you that a couple of hours in a coffee shop is just about the best present you could give her.

From there, I was off to explore the shops themselves. A little too upscale for my taste, but it was fun to browse without worrying about little hands breaking valuables.

Zingerman's

Zingerman's Deli in Ann Arbor

By now I was hungry for lunch, so I headed to an Ann Arbor institution--Zingerman's. The deli location of this restaurant/mail order business was just a few blocks away from Kerrytown. Read more on my lunch at Zingerman's Deli here.

University of Michigan Museum of Art

Finally, I thought I'd better get myself to the University of Michigan's campus, the lifeblood of Ann Arbor. I've toured campus before: after my husband was accepted to U of M's business school for his MBA, we gave serious consideration to moving to Ann Arbor. But this time, I got to enjoy it from a tourist perspective.

University of Michigan Museum of Art

I chose to spend a quiet hour wandering through the University of Michigan Museum of Art. It was so quiet and peaceful inside. I didn't know much about the art itself (no time to plan, remember?), but it was heavenly to take my time and read about pieces that caught my eye. If you visit, don't miss the Amalia Pica exhibit. I found it totally fascinating (and modern art typically isn't my forte!)

If you're interested in more details about UMMA, I look to Dominique at Midwest Guest for all things Michigan, and she doesn't disappoint with her knowledge of UMMA.

Then I quickly breezed through the union before heading out to pick up my sister and get home to our babies. (The ride home is a story for another day... we sat in horrible traffic for three straight hours due to an accident, and what's normally a 4 1/2 hour ride quickly grew to a 7 hour extravaganza.)

Days like these are few and far between for me. That's fine--I love having The Arrow as my nearly constant companion. But their rarity makes them all the more special and appreciated. And I love rediscovering who I am as a traveler and adventurer when I'm me, and not just Mom.

This post is a part of Mondays are for Dreaming at The Mother of All Trips. Today Mara is dreaming of a bike ride around Madison, Wisconsin. I actually have one more kid-free road trip up my sleeve to that very city for a friend's wedding later this fall before I become a mom of two, and I hope to enjoy it to its fullest. I'm also dreaming of a return trip to Ann Arbor: I saw so many spots The Arrow would have loved. (I never said I didn't think about him all day...)

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Countdown to Kindergarten at the Boston Children's Museum

2011-08-25T21:31:00.000-04:00

The Arrow starts preschool next week and last night we went to his orientation. It's hard to believe that the beautiful newborn I brought home 2 1/2 years ago is ready for school (even if it is just one morning a week)! While I'm feeling nostalgic, I'm truly looking forward to a little time to myself, hopefully catching up on writing, errands, etc. And later this year it will give me some one-on-one time with Baby Arrow.

It also helps that, for many reasons, I'm confident he's going to love every minute of it.

One of those reasons? The fact that we had to tear him away from the Countdown to Kindergarten exhibit at the Boston Children's Museum. I can't blame him, look at all the fun he had.

A whole classroom to explore!

Puzzles we don't have at home!

Practicing my doodling skills!

In three years, I'll be sending him off on one of these:

You can read a complete review of our time at the Boston Children's Museum here. And our Boston Trip Report is here.

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.
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Staying in Jamaica Plain While Visiting Boston

2011-08-24T13:49:00.000-04:00

When I learned I had won the HomeAway Blog Away contest and we would be heading to Boston for the 4th of July, the trip was already less than two months away. Needless to say, many of the HomeAway properties in the city were already booked for that time period.

I soon narrowed our search down to ArtHouse in Jamaica Plain. I knew nothing about Jamaica Plain, but the house itself met our needs perfectly, so I took a chance and booked it.

Jamaica Plain

Jamaica Plain, photo courtesy of Wikipedia

The minute we arrived in Jamaica Plain I knew it was a perfect fit. It reminded us so much of our old neighborhood in downtown Indianapolis--lots of one and two family homes just a few inches apart from each other. It also had a diverse mix of people that we love.

Plus, we were just steps away from the Stony Brook T station, meaning we could be in downtown Boston in about 10-15 minutes. While my initial preference was to stay in the heart of the city, it was actually nice to escape it throughout the day, give The Arrow a little more room to play, and just relax a bit more than we might have otherwise.

We didn't rent a car, and we certainly didn't need one while staying in Jamaica Plain. We were just a few blocks from several grocery stores, restaurants, and other life necessities. Our favorite restaurant in Jamaica Plain was Bella Luna, which I'm sure I'll be writing about soon. Great spot for gourmet pizza, with a beautiful outdoor patio.

So Much To Do

We soon learned that Jamaica Plain is a destination in and of itself. The Sam Adams Brewery was just around the corner from ArtHouse. We tried to take the tour, but the last tour of the day on our last day of the trip was already sold out when we arrived (so book in advance or arrive early if it's on your list of things to see).

There's also Jamaica Pond, which is another attraction we didn't get around to visiting. The Franklin Park Zoo and Arnold Arboretum are both just short T rides (or long walks) away. In fact, if we would have had another day in Boston, I think we would have just spent it exploring this vibrant area.

Southwest Corridor Park near the Stony Brook T station

As it turns out, our favorite feature of Jamaica Plain was Southwest Corridor Park. It basically stretches from Back Bay to Forest Hills along the orange T line. A portion of the park was directly across the street from ArtHouse, making it incredibly convenient for our family. This section of the park featured a large, grassy space crying out for a picnic, a basketball court, a large playground and a small splash pad for cooling off. Needless to say, The Arrow insisted we make a lot of stops here as we walked to and from the T.

ArtHouse

The HomeAway rental property that we selected is called ArtHouse. It was a great two-bedroom, one-bath two-family home. We rented the first floor, while the owners live on the 2nd floor. This meant they were accessible and helpful to us if we needed anything, but yet we all had our own space and privacy.

It was decorated very nicely, was very bright and cheery, and overall, just a really comfortable and clean place to relax and rest our heads at night. Perhaps our favorite feature, although we didn't use it as much as we would have liked, was the backyard patio area. Very shady and serene, a perfect place to crack open a beer or have a glass of wine after a day of sightseeing.

Backyard patio at ArtHouse in Jamaica Plain

ArtHouse was ideal for staying in Boston with a toddler. The owners also have a young child, and we were greeted with several baskets of toys and books to entertain The Arrow during our stay. The small yard meant we had some extra space, and the proximity to the park just can't be beat.

There are many, many reasons I prefer rental properties over hotels when traveling, and ArtHouse was no exception.

Disclosure

One of the requirements of winning the HomeAway contest was that we would spend a portion of the prize money on a HomeAway rental property. HomeAway covered all of the expenses associated with renting ArtHouse. I was not required to write about our experience staying there, and all opinions are my own. If I were traveling to Boston on my own dime, I would definitely consider renting this property.

For more information on our time in Boston, read my Boston Trip Report.

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When Tragedy Hits Home

2011-08-21T21:41:00.000-04:00

I've been feeling a bit melancholy about posting lately. In fact, this time last week I couldn't even muster the energy to hit publish on a post I had already written about our upcoming weekend plans. Nearly all my writing, both here and at Visit Indiana, involves encouraging people to get out and do fun things. So it's particularly hard to get in the right frame of mind to write when the images splashing across the news and in the paper involve crumbling stages and a growing list of fatalities at those very attractions I've written about.

Those killed and injured at the Indiana State Fair last weekend had plans for a lovely evening, enjoying live music and taking in all the wonderful aspects of a night at the Fairgrounds. Exactly the type of thing I focus on.

That night, as the weather turned ugly an hour north of my house, I, too, was listening to live music at a nearby park. No big stage infrastructure, it was just a local band playing on our town park's little stage. It all seemed so ideal and picturesque for our family: we could supervise The Arrow on the playground while my husband and I relaxed on a blanket. We even said to each other that summer nights don't get more perfect than this.

After we tucked The Arrow into bed that evening, we heard the awful news about the stage collapse at the Indiana State Fair. Fortunately, everyone I knew at the concert had either already left by the time of the collapse or were seated out of harm's way. Too many others weren't so blessed.

My heart hurts for my fellow Hoosiers. This tragedy, at a venue I've attended many a concert, in a city I often go to for fun, at an annual event I've done my part to encourage people to visit, struck too close.

And yet I look at that picture above and think, isn't this what life is all about? Getting out and enjoying our families, our friends, the places we call home?

Kiss your kids every chance you get.

Take them to interesting places.

Expose them to all the world has to offer.

The world is a scary place. Staying home doesn't make it any less so. While I'm unbelievably saddened by what happened last weekend, I continue to hold these truths close to my heart. And I'll continue to write about them.

There are some amazing bloggers in Indianapolis. A few of my favorites posted their thoughts on the tragedy. I wanted to share their posts as well:

Reflecting on the Indiana State Fair Tragedy at Just Like the Number.
Week 18 at DesignHer Momma
A Fair Elephant in the Room at Moosh in Indy
My First Prayers Involving the State Fair at Heart Gone Walking
We <3 the Indiana State Fair by Cherie Lowe at Doing Indy

This post is a part of Mondays are for Dreaming at The Mother of All Trips. I'm dreaming of better days ahead for Indiana.

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow at the Indianapolis International Airport

2011-08-19T07:54:00.001-04:00

My husband travels pretty regularly for work, and his international trips almost always begin with a Sunday afternoon departure out of the Indianapolis International Airport. So it's become a bit of a tradition to drive up, have lunch together in the sprawling atrium, and then bid him farewell for the week.

Civic Plaza

I can't say enough about how great it is to have a brand new airport terminal as your traveling homebase (even when you're not the one traveling!). The arrow loves the spaciousness of the airport's Civic Plaza. He wanders from pod seat to pod seat, crawling on top and pretending to be quite the king once he's mounted on his perch. The ceiling must be at least 3 stories above us, the windows stretch just as high, and there is ample room for everyone to feel as though their personal space isn't being invaded. There's a pretty good view of the planes pulling up to their gate, as well as phenomenal public art.

Airport Dining Recommendations

And the food is great, too. When designing the new terminal, it was determined that several food vendor slots would be dedicated to local, independent restaurants. So there's some unique local cuisine to sample while you wait for your flight. Our favorites are Cafe Patachou and Giorgio's Pizza (which you can access without a ticket since they are located in Civic Plaza), and Harry & Izzys, Shapiro's and King David Dogs in the Concourse areas (ticket required).

No one likes to be stuck in an airport, and it is certainly sad to say goodbye to dad for the week. But The Arrow and I like to make the best of things, so we've come to take comfort in our Sunday "travel" tradition!

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

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Kid-Friendly Restaurant in Cambridge: The Border Cafe

2011-08-16T20:07:00.000-04:00

On our first full day in Boston, we ventured out to Cambridge in the evening. I love this area, mostly because I'm a sucker for cool college towns (and it really doesn't get "cooler" than the home of MIT and Harvard, does it?). But I hadn't really thought much about how I'd spend time there with a toddler until we stepped off the T into the heart of Harvard Square.

Luckily, the Around Boston with Kids book had suggested The Border Cafe as a good restaurant when visiting Cambridge with kids. So we headed straight there. I knew the minute we walked in it would be perfect for The Arrow. Why?

It was loud.

Nothing like a boisterous, busy restaurant to save parents from any embarassment caused by a fussy toddler. I never would have guessed in my kid-free days that loud restaurants would become a safe haven, but they are.

Fortunately, this wasn't the only thing The Border Cafe had going for it. The food was great too. Mostly Mexican fare, with a pinch of Cajun. Our group ordered an assortment of tacos, salads, and enchiladas and we were all pretty happy with our choices. The highlight, though, was the guacamole. Kudos to my brother in law for ordering some. I think it was the best guacamole I've ever had. (But be warned that I fall on the side of you-can-never-have-enough-cilantro.)

The Border Cafe doesn't have a designated kids menu at their Cambridge restaurant, but they were happy to make The Arrow a cheese quesadilla. Other benefits of eating here was the speedy service and a great, central location.

After a fun dinner at The Border Cafe, we walked over to Harvard's campus and let The Arrow run wild to burn off some steam. Who knows, maybe he'll end up here as a student some day. Every parent can dream!

Romping through Haaaaarvard, burning off that quesadilla.

If You Visit:
The Border Cafe
32 Church Street (Take the red line to Harvard Square.)
Cambridge, MA
Opens at 11 a.m. Monday-Saturday, noon on Sunday.
Most entrees are less than $10.
Insider Tip: I found my shrimp and crawfish caesar salad to be really spicy. If you're a wuss like me, I would ask them to tone it down a bit.

The Border Cafe has a few other locations in Massachusetts and New Jersey. Those locations appear to have children's menus.

This post is a part of Wanderfood Wednesday at Wanderlust & Lipstick.

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Fun at the Indiana State Fair

2011-08-11T21:33:00.000-04:00

Last weekend, we headed to the Indiana State Fair, one of the country's oldest and largest state fairs. I've been writing a lot about the Fair this week, a little bit here and a lot over at Visit Indiana. While not as delicious as a cold, fruity slushy on the Midway, here's a taste of what I've been blogging:

And one of my favorite kid-friendly attractions at the Fair:

Little Hands on the Farm: Fun Indiana State Fair Attraction for Young Kids

Little Hands on the Farm Photos:

The Arrow absolutely loved the Little Hands on the Farm exhibit. It's a chance for young kids to experience life on the farm, with age-appropriate activities (like feeding the pigs, planting seeds and driving a tractor). They even earn a dollar for all their hard work, which they can use to buy treats (like a juice box) at the market.

Indiana Young Farmers Association Photos:

While the Little Hands on the Farm exhibit was a planned stop, ducking into the Indiana Young Farmers Assocation building definitely wasn't. And yet we nearly had to drag The Arrow away... he loved the playground, the magnetic fishing pond, the tractor he could sit on and pretend to drive. That's such a great aspect of the Indiana State Fair... you never know what you might find that will hold your attention!

Just a little sampling of our day at the Indiana State Fair! The Fair runs through August 17, so there's still plenty of time to visit.

Where to Go:

You'll find the Little Hands on the Farm exhibit in the Riley Fun Park on the northeast side of the Fairgrounds. It opens at 9 a.m. The Indiana Young Farmers Association building is just east of the Indiana DNR building (another good stop!), also on the northside of the Fairgrounds. Both are free with admission to the Fair.

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

Top 10 Tips for Visiting the Indiana State Fair with Babies and Toddlers

2011-08-08T19:29:00.000-04:00

This weekend, I visited the Indiana State Fair and the arrow tagged along. Attending a big, crowded, often miserably hot event like this can be especially tricky if you're toting along a baby or toddler (or both!), but I'm happy to report there is still lots of fun to be had. Many of my tips below are applicable to any large summer festival or fair, so even if the Indiana State Fair isn't in your plans, you might still find these tips helpful.

Top 10 Tips for Visiting the Indiana State Fair with Young Kids:

1.) Seek out lactation/feeding areas. This was the main reason I didn't bring the arrow to the fair when he was a 4-month old. We were still deep in the "eating every 2 1/2-hour phase," and I couldn't help but picture myself trying to discreetly nurse him in the corner of a hot, smelly, dirty swine barn. No thanks. I should have done some more research: the Indiana State Fair offers two lactation/nursing/feeding stations. You'll find these private, shady tents near the Riley Fun Park and Dow AgroSciences Celebration Park.

2.) Head to an exhibit pavilion. If you're nowhere near the above mentioned lactation stations when baby needs to eat, find the closest air-conditioned pavilion. Often the buildings that exhibit crafts, canned goods and other household products are quiet, clean and relaxing spaces. This is also a good plan if you and your kids just need to cool off for a few minutes, change a diaper, etc. We took refuge in the Ball State/Ag Hort building just off the Midway on Sunday for a little while. It was just us and a few old people checking out the enormous pumpkins. We were all approaching meltdown territory when we entered, and after a few minutes, we left in much better spirits.

3.) Review your map in advance. Long gone are the days my husband and I aimlessly wandered the enormous fairgrounds. Instead, I tried to get a general sense of what was where the evening before we headed out to the fair. I knew of a few activities I wanted to do and see, so I got a sense of what was near each other, where we should start our day, etc. Then I referred to the map a few times as we walked around that morning. A little planning goes a long way when taking babies and toddlers to the fair. If you have a Droid or iPhone, the Indiana State Fair now offers an interactive map with their app.

4.) Determine a few kid-friendly activities or areas. There's so much to see and do at the Fair, but not everything is interesting to active toddlers. I tried to make sure we visited at least a few things that the arrow found really fun, activities that are geared toward his age range. A few of my favorites:

Little Hands on the Farm in the Riley Fun Park (my favorite!)
The Indiana Young Farmers Association building (a full playground, real tractors the kids can sit on, a school bus to tour, etc.)
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources area (awesome tanks full of local fish, a buttlerfly exhibit and an outdoor stream stocked with more interesting fish)
The livestock barns. The barns can get hot and smelly, but I love the opportunity for kids to interact with these farm animals. I've heard the barn where the racing horses stay is particularly good.

I'll write more about some of these on Friday, but this is by no means an exhaustive list. There is so much for young kids to see and do at the Indiana State Fair!

Checking out a sturgeon at the Indiana DNR exhibit at the Indiana State Fair

5.) Bring a good stroller. I used our cheap-as-can-be umbrella stroller and it was clearly the wrong choice. The infield parking area has fairly long grass, and there are many areas I navigated that were really bumpy or unpaved. I should have brought our jogging stroller instead. It also has more under-the-seat storage which would have been helpful to us. Rookie mistake.

6.) Find the wheelchair-accessible tunnels into the fairgrounds. This will make your stroller transporation in and out of the fair infinitely easier. They are marked clearly on the map. Another lesson learned too late.

7.) Cold water is your friend. I packed a few cold bottles in my purse and they were a lifesaver. I saw a few families using bottles they froze in advance. Great idea. I'm not sure if this is frowned-upon by fair staff, but no one said a word to us. It saves you money and time if you already have some of life's most important necessities on hand. The Pathway to Water Quality Exhibit also has cold water if you find yourself in that area.

8.) Use hand sanitizer. Getting to touch and pet the farm animals is a real treat for young kids, but it's important that you also keep them safe. Not to mention the fact than any hands-on exhibit or ride has probably been touched by many of the 900,000+ that attend the fair each year. There are many hand sanitizing stations throughout the fairgrounds, or bring a travel-sized container of your own.

9.) Snacks. A hungry toddler is an angry toddler. I packed some portable snacks for him to munch on as we walked between exhibits and activities and it really kept him happy (and in his stroller!) It was nice not to have to make frequent stops for unhealthy and expensive treats from the many vendors. Save that hassle for meal time.

Riding the carousel on the Midway at the Indiana State Fair

10.) Have a Midway strategy. If you don't want your kids to ride the carnival rides, or don't want to shell out the money, then just try not to walk by the Midway. I don't mind indulging the arrow in a few rides, so we didn't avoid it altogether, but we easily could have. This obviously doesn't work as your kids get older, so enjoy this phase while it lasts! If you do want to enjoy the Midway, then I recommend taking a quick walk around before buying tickets. I set clear expectations with the arrow that he could only ride a few things and he seemed to understand. He chose a few rides, although he still threw a bit of a fit when we left. Regardless, it saved us some tears, for sure. It was also good to walk around because I realized there were only about 3 or 4 rides appropriate for his age and size, so I only bought a few tickets. We also visited the Midway just as it was opening. Not only was there an early-bird discount, but no lines!

While I'm a veteran Indiana State Fair attendee, I'm still a newbie when it comes to visiting as a mom of young kids. A special thanks to Barb at Quick Like a Bunny for throwing in a few tips of her own! I'll be blogging more about the Indiana State Fair later this week, both here and at Visit Indiana's Indiana Insider. If you want to keep track of all the fun at the Indiana State Fair, I encourage you to follow the Fair's social media accounts.

This post is a part of Top 10 Tuesday at Oh Amanda!

The Helicopter That Never Got Off the Ground

2011-08-08T08:59:00.000-04:00

It's funny how pictures can be deceiving sometimes. I was just looking back at some photos from the past few months and couldn't help but laugh at these:

The mom's group I'm a part of here in Columbus organized a tour of the Lifeline helicopter at our local hospital. I knew the arrow would LOVE to get up close to one of his favorite things: 'copters (as he calls them). I think it's pretty clear from the photos that I was right. And he loved it so much he didn't think any of the other kids should get to sit in it.

"MY 'COPTER! MY 'COPTER!"

That darn "my" word. It's like nails on a chalkboard to any mom of a toddler. Needless to say, we fled to the car as graciously as one can when a toddler is screaming bloody murder and beating his fists against you. (I'm not complaining. It's literally one of the first times I've ever had to leave someplace before we were ready because of a tantrum.)

Later that afternoon, while he was calmly eating a snack at home, he told me he thought he'd get to ride in the helicopter, that it would "go up high in the sky." So there may have been some confusion that led to this meltdown. Apparently I need to be a little more clear with him the next time I tell him we're going to see a helicopter.

I have no desire to ride in one of these. (And certainly not the kind used for medical purposes.) For starters, I'm pretty prone to motion sickness. And I once took a very scary, white-knuckle ride on a prop plane during a blizzard which has turned me away from small planes forever. So I'll take a mainstream commercial flight to get to my destinations in a heart beat.

But today I'm dreaming that someday the arrow will get to go on a helicopter ride. Maybe someplace beautiful, where he can spot volcanoes in Hawaii or glide above glaciers in Alaska. Or take in some breathtaking views of the New York City skyline. Wherever he chooses, I hope that helicopter finally gets off the ground for him. For now, we're working on that whole "sharing" thing.

This post is a part of Mondays are for Dreaming at The Mother of All Trips.

An Evening at Victory Field

2011-08-05T09:39:00.000-04:00

I was just taking a look at some of our travel/backyard adventure goals for the summer, and realized we're doing pretty good checking some of them off the list. (And having lots of fun in the process, of course.) One highlight was an evening Indianapolis Indians game at beautiful Victory Field in downtown Indianapolis.

Minor league games are perfect for young kids. Ticket and concession prices are so much more reasonable than the Big Leagues (and your kids don't know the difference anyway). They get introduced to the culture of a big sporting event. And many of these ballparks have great areas for little ones to run around. The arrow loves the lawn at Victory Field.

The Minor League season is wrapping up in the next few weeks in cities and towns all over America. I wrote about the Hoosier baseball teams' remaining home games for Visit Indiana this week. Catch 'em while you can!

If You Visit:
Victory Field, home of the Indianapolis Indians
Corner of West and Maryland Streets
Schedule of remaining home games is available here.
Lawn seats are just $9 for adults.
Insider Tips/Ways to Save:

If you live in the area and plan to attend more than one game, sign your kids up for the Knot Hole Club. For $15, their lawn seat is always free and they'll get a few other goodies too. They can even run the bases after Sunday games.
If you sit in the lawn, pack a cooler. Coolers under 20 inches in length can be stuffed with food and non-alcoholic drinks, creating a great money-saver for families.
Monday games feature $1 concessions: hot dogs, Cracker Jacks, popcorn, chips and peanuts are only a buck. What a deal!

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

In My Kitchen: Cornmeal Griddle Cakes

2011-08-03T08:38:00.000-04:00

Cornmeal Griddle Cakes from Midwest Living

A few months ago I started subscribing to Midwest Living magazine. I love scouring the internet for travel ideas, recipes and such, but I still enjoy kicking it old school with a good magazine from time to time. Makes afternoons keeping an eye on the arrow in our baby pool or walks on the treadmill a lot more interesting. I've been pleasantly surprised at how many ideas I get from Midwest Living--new dishes to try, reviews of various destinations, off-the-beaten path restaurants, etc., all typically within a few hours drive from my house. This probably won't be the last time I credit the magazine with the inspiration for a post.

I read with particularly interest in last month's issue the many uses for sweet corn. It's a staple of Indiana summers--we've received many ears in our CSA box already, not to mention the truckloads of the stuff at our farmer's market. I know I run the risk of having my Hoosier status revoked (and my in-laws may disown me if they read this), but I'm not a huge fan of corn on the cob. I think we parted ways sometime around the four years I was in braces and I never really returned to its buttery embrace. So I loved getting some ideas on other ways to incorporate this great, seasonal produce into our meals.

Cornmeal Griddle Cakes with Sauteed Corn caught my eye because it comes in the form of a pancake, so the arrow will actually consider eating it. Always a plus when I can save myself some effort and just cook one thing for all of us. Plus it called for bacon. (Need I say more?) When I realized I could purchase some freshly ground cornmeal during our tour of the Grist Mill at Spring Mill State Park, I knew I was in a position to elevate this dish to a truly locally-grown delight.

Cornmeal from Spring Mill State Park

Our family really enjoyed this dish. I served it with leftover tacos from the night before. (I never know what to make as a side dish on taco night. Turns out these tasty little cakes are perfect!) And don't be fooled by the recipe, which says that you'll get about 12 griddle cakes. I don't know how big the cakes should be, but I had a stack several inches high by the time I was done cooking all the batter. Our freezer is now happily stocked with several piles of these guys, and I already can't wait to thaw them out this fall when we're craving a taste of Indiana summer and memories from our day at Spring Mill State Park.

This post is a part of Wanderfood Wednesday at Wanderlust & Lipstick.

The Boston Children's Museum

2011-07-31T22:43:00.000-04:00

Before our trip to Boston, I'm not sure that visiting a children's museum would rank very high on my list of things to do while on vacation. Don't get me wrong--I love a good children's museum. Visiting the Children's Museum of Indianapolis is one of my favorite day trips with the arrow. And we adore Kidscommons here in Columbus, Indiana as a great mid-week or bad weather boredom buster. But when I'm traveling, I prefer to see and do something completely unique to that locale, something we can't do where we live.

Boston Children's Museum

But after three busy days seeing some of the sights in Boston, most of which were probably more appealing to 30-somethings than 2-year-olds, we wanted to spend our last day doing something that the arrow would really enjoy. By now the high temps had me ruling out anything outdoors, and so we retreated to the cool and kid-focused Boston Children's Museum.

Here are some of my favorite aspects of the Boston Children's Museum:

There was a real focus on everyday life in many of the exhibits. Sounds boring, right? Not to a toddler who has often watched his mom brush her hair but never had the chance to do it himself. (That's a mannequin, not me. Do you really think I'd let him come at me with a hair dryer?)

Boston Black exhibit at Boston Children's Museum

It was actually pretty relaxing. The first area we visited was called PlaySpace, and it was ideal for families with babies and toddlers. There were plenty of benches and seating for adults to sit and watch their little ones play, as well as an entire padded area just for little crawlers. Because many of the exhibits throughout the museum are nearly completely enclosed, we didn't have to do much chasing or hand-holding: something we had done A LOT of in the days prior. We also parked our stroller in the museum lobby, and didn't find a need for it for the entire visit. We were ALL happy to get a break from the stroller!

PlaySpace at the Boston Children's Museum

Since I now have traveling with two on the brain, I was particularly pleased to see an enclosed kitchen/relaxation area for those families with babies (also in the PlaySpace area). There were rocking chairs perfect for nursing, a microwave to heat up food, a high chair, etc. I can imagine more than one mom has breathed a sigh of relief when she saw this amenity.

Kitchen in the PlaySpace exhibit

The arrow had a chance to explore interests. He has been really into musical instruments lately, something that as parents we want to encourage. Yet we don't have room in our budget (or in our house) to purchase gobs and gobs of new toys. At the Boston Children's Museum, he could bang on things like this amazing steel drum and test out other unique musical sounds throughout the museum. There were also exhibits focused on water, sand, construction equipment, etc. (In other words, pick any of the typical toddler/preschooler delights, and you'll likely find an area perfect for that child.)

Boston Black exhibit at the Boston Children's Museum

There was a strong educational focus. The arrow starts preschool this fall (more on that to come), so we made sure to stop by the Countdown to Kindergarten exhibit so he could get a sense of what a classroom looks like. To our surprise, this was by far his favorite exhibit in the museum. He loved going to the different stations and seeing what he could try.

Countdown to Kindergarten exhibit at the Boston Children's Museum

The Boston Children's Museum probably isn't for everyone. It's geared toward younger kids. I would guess children 7 or older might not find much here to hold their attention for very long. (Trust me, as a mom of a 2-year-old, I'm not complaining about this. There are many other attractions in Boston that would be perfect for older kids, so I was thankful for a toddler/preschooler paradise.) I was also hoping to pick up a unique toy or souvenir for the arrow in the gift shop as a memento from Boston (we had managed to avoid any such purchase thus far into the trip), but I found the offerings disappointing.

I did appreciate the food choices for lunch, though. The museum has an area for brown-baggers, an attached Au Bon Pain, and the famous giant Hood milk bottle just outside the front door in the warmer months. After many meals on this trip that consisted of french fries and a few bites of hot dog, it was great to visit the Au Bon Pain and get the arrow something healthy to fuel him until dinner.

All in all, we found the Boston Children's Museum to be a great spot for a few hours of arrow-focused fun. I learned on this trip that visiting a big city can be taxing on a young traveler--in and out of a stroller, waiting in lines, lots of commotion, etc. I think I'll incorporate children's museum visits into future travel plans as a good option for when energy and patience (parents and toddlers') begins to wane.

If You Visit:
The Boston Children's Museum
308 Congress Street, Boston (Nearest T stops are South Station and Courthouse Station)
Cost is $12 for all visitors over the age of 1. (Babies are free.)
The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, and closes at 9 p.m. on Fridays.

This post is a part of Mondays are for Dreaming at The Mother of All Trips. We're dreaming of more children's museum fun in the future: in Boston, near home, and around the world! What are your favorite children's museums?

PS: If you want to know more about how we filled five days in Boston with a toddler, see my Boston Trip Report. Or you might be interested in my tips for visiting a children's museum.

Disclosure: While HomeAway covered many of our travel expenses for our trip to Boston, we paid for our admission to the Boston Children's Museum and all opinions are my own.

Georges Island: Tips and Photos

2011-07-29T09:04:00.000-04:00

When I was doing some research on all there is to see and do in Boston after winning the HomeAway BlogAway contest, I knew we'd be visiting on a very crowded holiday weekend (July 4). I was hoping to find a few off-the-beaten path activities that might be a little more quiet than the typical Boston attractions. A ferry boat ride out to Georges Island, one of the Boston Harbor Islands, was a great option. (Do you see any people in the photo above? Ahhh...) We spent a fantastic morning there, which proved to be a good strategy for escaping both the crowds and the heat.

Our adventures started with a ferry boat ride. Georges Island is 7 miles from downtown Boston, which translates into a 20-minute boat ride. The ride itself is a real highlight of a trip out to the island. You get spectacular views of the skyline, the harbor is fairly gentle (I still got a little seasick, but I'm a big wuss), and the breezes were a welcome relief from the pounding sun. The arrow thought riding a big boat was tons of fun.

Insider Tips:

You can purchase your ferry tickets in advance at the kiosk along Long Wharf North, near Quincy Market. I recommend doing so. Our ride out to the island was absolutely full, standing room only.
Take the 9 a.m. ferry out. It's the first one, and you'll feel like you have the island all to yourself. Be sure to get in line by 8:50 a.m. if you want a seat on the boat. Otherwise, you'll probably have to stand. (If that's an early wake-up call for you, there's a Starbucks in the Marriott hotel just near the wharf. Don't ask me how I know this.)
It will become very clear as you board the ferry that Boston locals head out to the island for a picnic, while out-of-towners visit to sightsee. You'll see folks carrying on coolers, grills, etc., with intentions to spend the whole day there.

Our first stop was the information area on the island to pick up a brochure so we could guide ourselves around Fort Warren, which dominates the island. Fort Warren was used as a jail for Confederate soldiers during the Civil War. If an old jail can be both spooky and beautiful, then this place was. The arrow thought it was great fun to run through the empty old rooms. If you have boys, they'll love all the canons on display.

Insider Tips:

There are signs all over Fort Warren describing the various aspects of the building, life on the island, etc. It's fascinating stuff, and full of information that even kids would find interesting. Keep an eye out for those.
Climb to the top. You're free to roam all over the Fort, including climbing the stairs up to the top. Here you'll have gorgeous views of the harbor, perfect for pictures.

We ended our visit by letting the arrow run around the playground (designed to resemble the fort itself!) He didn't want to leave but luckily another fun boat ride awaited him.

If You Visit:
Georges Island
Accessible via the Boston's Best Cruises ferry boat system
Roundtrip tickets cost $12 (children 3 and under are free but must have a ticket). Visiting the island itself is free.
The first ferry departs downtown Boston at 9 a.m., and then every hour on the hour. The last ferry leaves Georges Island to return to Boston at 5:30 p.m. during the week and 6:30 p.m. on weekends (summer schedule).

Insider Tips:

If you're visiting with young kids and don't plan to have lunch there, I would plan to spend about an hour on the island. Otherwise, the rangers suggest 2 hours for a visit.
There is a snack shop on the island if you don't pack your own picnic. It wasn't open before we departed (at 10:30 a.m.) but the menu looked good!
Our biggest struggle was whether or not to bring our stroller. In the end, I'm glad we brought it. It was nice to just push the arrow to and from Fort Warren's grounds from the ferry dock. Otherwise, he walked or was carried during most of our time touring the Fort.
My one complaint? There was no diaper changing table (that I could find). We managed, but it sure would have been nice. And considering the many young kids we saw on the island, I doubt I'm alone in this need.

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

Disclosure: While HomeAway covered many of our travel expenses for our trip to Boston, we paid for our trip to Georges Island and all opinions are my own.

Carnival of Cities for 27 July 2011

2011-07-27T13:46:00.001-04:00

Welcome to the Carnival of Cities blog carnival, where we tour the world in a single post, via submissions from a variety of different blogs, all about any aspect of one, single city (or fair-sized town). I am honored to host this great carnival for the first time. I welcome all of you to Arrows Sent Forth, where I blog about adventures my family takes around home and around the country. I'm glad you're here!

This is the July 27 edition. The previous edition was hosted on July 13 by the Perceptive Travel Blog and the August 10 edition will be at Edutech Musings. Please submit your (ONE, non-spammy) blog post to the next edition of the Carnival of Cities using the carnival submission form.

Cities in Europe

Barentsburg, Russia Anne-Sophie Redisch presents Barentsburg Highlights at Sophie's World, saying, "Barentsburg is the last remaining Russian settlement in the Arctic."

East London, England Sheila Scarborough presents What Gives a Place Buzz and Attracts Creative People? at Sheila's Guide to the Good Stuff, with a post describing "how the tech start-up culture and TechHub are revitalizing the Shoreditch section of East London."

Germany Laura Burnett presents The Germany I Saw at Living the Clever Life with a post about "a view of small town northern Germany not shown in guide books."

Rome, Italy Jennifer Miner presents Best Gelato Shops in Rome, Italy at The Vacation Gals, saying "All gelato tastes great when it's 95 degrees out in Italy, but these three best (and one worst!) gelato shops in Rome are worthy of note. We did a lot of "research" during our summer vacation there."

Cities in the Americas

Boston, Massachusetts, USA I present Trip Report: Boston here at Arrows Sent Forth with a post about "how we spent 5 days in Boston with a toddler."

Detroit, Michigan, USA Dominique King presents Visiting Metro Detroit's Cranbrook Gardens at Midwest Guest, saying, "Cranbrook's 40 acres of gardens surrounding an Albert Kahn-designed manor home are part of a 319-acre National Historic Landmark campus filled with cultural, architectural and educational gems."

Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA Eileen Ludwig presents Water Taxi Fort Lauderdale Venice of America Pirate Republic Stop12 at Freelance Tourist Travel Tips, saying that the "best way to see and tour Fort Lauderdale is on the Water Taxi. Get on and off at different stops. Shop, eat, go to Hollywood, and during the winter go to South Beach without having to worry about parking fees everywhere. Show your water taxi ticket and get discounts at several restaurants listed in their brochure or on their website."

Glen Williams, Ontario, Canada Guylaine presents Glen Williams Ontario: Extreme Makeover of a Former Factory Delights All at Ontario-Travel-Secrets Blog, saying that Glen Williams is "one of Southern Ontario's best-kept secrets."

Kiawah Island, South Carolina, USA Shelley Morgan presents Watch Out for Alligators at Ready, Set, Travel! saying "I write about home exchange vacations. This blog is about an exchange we made in the South Carolina resort community of Kiawah Island, just outside of Charleston."

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA Mary Jo Manzanares presents Small Plates Delight at Julian Serrano at ARIA Las Vegas at Traveling with MJ saying "Las Vegas has become a city for foodies, and this restaurant is just one example."

Mexico City, Mexico Jim Johnston presents LUCHA LIBRE—Wrestling with what it means.

Mountain View, California, USA Byteful Travel presents 7 Key Sights to See at the Googleplex (Google Headquarters) saying, "Do you know what the most visited website on the planet is? I’ll give you one guess. Hint: I was able to visit its headquarters in Mountain View, CA. If you guessed "Google", then you get a virtual Kewpie doll* (complete with tiny wings!) When we arrived at Google's headquarters on that gorgeous Thursday afternoon, we weren’t sure what to expect, and we certainly had no idea that we were going to see a T-Rex, or have a small run-in with Google security…"

Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada Zhu presents Niagara Falls, Ontario posted at Correr Es Mi Destino, saying, "It was gorgeous on Sunday and we drove to Niagara Falls. It was my fourth visit there (last time was in the middle of the winter) and definitely a busy time of the year for the region."

Staten Island, New York, USA Nicole Rivera presents The Chinese Scholar's Garden [Staten Island, New York] at Rivera Runs Through It, saying that this post is a "sneak peek at one of Staten Island, New York's hidden gems, The Chinese Scholar's Garden."

Cities in Asia

Tokyo, Japan AsianUrbanist presents Transforming Public Spaces in Asia at AsianUrbanist.com with a post about "a trip to Japan and reflection on the transformations of public spaces with Tokyo Midtown Mall as an example."

What a wonderful tour of the world. That concludes this Carnival edition. Thanks for visiting.

If you would like to host a future Carnival edition on your blog please contact Sheila Scarborough at Sheila “at” sheilascarborough “dot” com. I can now attest that hosting is easy and fun! (Who wouldn't want a sneak peak at all these great travel posts?!) Spots to host are available in September and October.

Past posts and future hosts can be found on the blog carnival index page.

A day at Spring Mill State Park

2011-07-25T08:50:00.000-04:00

Last weekend, despite the 90+ degree weather, we decided summer was passing us by too quickly and we had far too many things left on our summer bucket list. Off we went to Spring Mill State Park in Mitchell, Indiana. We had originally intended to camp here back in the spring, and in hindsight, I sure wish I had felt up to it. A day just wasn't enough time here. (I wrote about the many activities at Spring Mill for Visit Indiana.)

Our first stop was the Pioneer Village. I'll be honest, I was expecting a cheesy take on life in the 1800s. I was so wrong. Not only are the buildings original and genuine, but the setting along the flowing creek is so picturesque.

The most interesting stop among many at the Pioneer Village is the Grist Mill. It is still fully operational and can grind up to 500 lbs of corn meal in an hour. Be sure to catch a demo from the miller, it's a real highlight of a visit to the village.

Insider Tip: If you have a toddler, sit toward the back during the demo. He/she can play with the old-fashioned toys that are set up without disturbing the rest of the group (i.e., mom and dad) who are listening to the demo. The arrow was particularly taken with the checkers.

We spent another hour or so wandering in and out of buildings, like the schoolhouse, tavern and apothecary. Many are staffed with interpreters in full dress. You'll come away from a visit with a much better understanding of pioneer life in rural Indiana.

Because lately my life revolves around food, our next stop was lunch. We ate at the park's restaurant found inside the Spring Mill Inn. A down-home, feel-good country buffet. I was partial to the dessert table, full of homemade pies, cobblers and pastries. So was the arrow, who immediately claimed the chocolate cupcake you see below. My husband was licking his fingers over their homemade fried chicken.

Insider Tip: The restaurant was busy and we made it there just before 30-minute waits started. You could just pick up take-out from the buffet, or pack a picnic to bring to the park and not let lunch slow you down too much. There was also a concession stand near the Pioneer Village parking lot.

While ordinarily we would never leave a state park without sampling a few hiking trails, did I mention it was 90 degrees (oh, and I'm 20 weeks pregnant)? Needless to say, we hit the pool instead. No pictures... 2-year-olds, pools, and digital cameras don't mix.

Before we knew it, it was well into the afternoon and the arrow was practically begging us for a nap. My husband and I took the country roads home while he snoozed and dreamed of return visits to Spring Mill.

Insider Tip: Mitchell, Indiana is the birthplace of astronaut Gus Grissom. On our next visit to Spring Mill, I want to spend some time at the Grissom Memorial found in the park.

In the next few weeks, I'll be writing about making corn cakes with the freshly-ground corn meal I purchased in the Pioneer Village. (I told you everything revolves around food these days!)

If You Visit:
Spring Mill State Park
3333 State Road 60 East, Mitchell, IN
Pioneer Village is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission to the park is $5 per car for Indiana residents. Pool admission was $2 per person (the arrow was free).
Insider Tip: If you're spending a weekend in the area, add caves to your itinerary. I wrote about the Indiana Cave Trail for Visit Indiana. All three of these caves are within an hour's drive of Spring Mill. There is also a cave you can tour inside the park itself, but children younger than 3 are not allowed. (Just another reason we'll have to come back again!)

This post is a part of Mondays are for Dreaming at The Mother of All Trips.

Then and Now: In Pictures

2011-07-21T21:26:00.000-04:00

Last week, the arrow and I returned to two of our favorite outings from last summer, and the difference in his abilities, interest, and interaction with the world in just the past year amazed me. He's gone from basically being in our arms or in the stroller to getting his hands on just about everything. And he'll do it all by himself, thank you very much.

Indianapolis Museum of Art's 100 Acres

100 Acres is a fantastic outdoor art and nature park on the grounds of the Indianapolis Museum of Art. It's also a toddler paradise. (I wrote about it for Visit Indiana this week.) In 2010, exploring Los Carpinteros' whimsical sculpture Free Basket looked a little something like this:

In 2011, he owned the court.

In 2010, I don't think he even noticed Atelier Van Lieshout's enormous Funky Bones. The plane flying overhead was far more interesting.

In 2011, I had to pry him off of this chain of benches that form a giant skeleton.

Insider Tip: 100 Acres is a great spot for a toddler playdate in Indy and a great alternative to playgrounds. Moms and dads can talk as you walk from sculpture to sculpture and even while the kids play at each "stop." A lot of it (but not all) is in the shade. Great spot for a picnic lunch, too. More tips from my original post about 100 Acres here.
Bartholomew County Fair

July is the month that most of Indiana's county fairs take place, in anticipation of the Indiana State Fair in early August. In 2010, we visited the Bartholomew County Fair on a quiet weekend morning. The arrow loved seeing all the animals. He was oblivious to the dozens of carnival rides beckoning him just a few yards away.

In 2011, he wanted to ride everything.

In 2010, fair food was a foreign concept. In 2011, he stole his mom's ice cream cone.

(Didn't you know the double hat look is the summer's hottest trend? The arrow thinks so.)

Summer is a great time to explore new places. On Monday, I'll post about a visit to a new-to-us state park. But it's also a great time for traditions, places you visit year after year. These are two of our favorites. What destinations do you make sure to return to each year?

In case you missed my other "then and now" post from Monday, you can see some cute video of the arrow here (you'll also learn his real name!). And one more plug for my new Facebook page... you can keep up with Arrows Sent Forth by liking us over there.

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

My 7 Links: A Look Back at Arrows Sent Forth

2011-07-19T08:58:00.000-04:00

It's perfect timing that My 7 Links is all the rage right now among travel bloggers, since this is the 1-year anniversary of Arrows Sent Forth. My 7 Links is a project organized by Tripbase that is designed to "create a bank of blog posts that deserve to see the light of day again." I've really enjoyed reading what other bloggers have shared on their blogs for the last week or so. Below are the particular categories that participants must follow. Thanks to Wandering Off (one of my absolute favorite blogs), who nominated me to participate.

My Most Beautiful Post:
"Togetherness" from September 30, 2010. I barely wrote a complete sentence for this post, because I think the picture speaks for itself. I could stare at this photo, of the two people I love most in the world doing what I most love to do, all day long. The photo was taken on the beach of Warren Dunes State Park in southwest Michigan at sunset.

My Most Popular Post:
Visiting the Florida Aquarium from April 3, 2011. Apparently lots of people are looking for info on this great destination in Tampa, Florida. I'm glad it's so popular, because I think the post full of great tips for a more successful visit to the aquarium.

My Most Controversial Post:
Going Places Strollers Never Will from October 3, 2010. I don't write controversial posts (or at least I haven't yet). But I did participate in a link-up to shed light on the many benefits of baby-wearing at a time when some were calling for the ban of all baby carriers and slings. While the arrow has graduated from baby-wearing these days, I'm still a huge fan of quality products that make family travel so much easier. And I'll be back to baby-wearing in just a few months!

My niece is now the queen of the backpack carrier.

My Most Helpful Post:
Things I Learned While Camping with a Toddler from September 28, 2010. While I see young kids all over campgrounds, I have found limited resources on the internet and around the blogosphere from families with first-hand knowledge of camping as a family. While I'm certainly no expert, I hope the tips I shared in this post will make another family's trip easier (or perhaps even motivate a hesitant parent to get out there for the first time for a night under the stars!)

A Post Whose Success Surprised Me:
Experiencing Egypt at the Children's Museum of Indianapolis from February 7, 2011. This is my second most popular post. Perhaps it got a lot of attention because I posted it so soon after the chaos began in Egypt. But I'm still surprised, because of all the amazing exhibits at the Children's Museum of Indianapolis, this is one that I don't often hear visitors talking about. In fact, on the day we visited, it was nearly empty. I think a lot of families pass it by. Maybe by sharing the fun we had, that will change for a few people.

A Post I Feel Didn't Get the Attention It Deserved:
Falls of the Ohio State Park from March 16, 2011. Maybe I did a lousy job of describing how unique and beautiful this place is. Maybe my pictures didn't do it justice. But this state park in southern Indiana really is amazing, and I didn't get much of a response to this post. (I have a theory that if these fossil beds were found along the coasts, it would be an incredibly popular tourist attraction. But don't get me started on how Midwestern gems like this often get ignored... Instead, I'll just to choose to celebrate getting to enjoy places like this in peace and quiet.)

The Post I'm Most Proud Of:
Trip Report: South Haven, Michigan from July 19, 2010. I don't even suggest you click over to this post unless you're planning a trip to South Haven. There's really nothing special about it, other than it marks the moment that I finally started this blog after kicking around the idea of doing so for several months. I wasn't sure I wanted to put myself out there on the web, sharing my thoughts, ideas, pictures and memories. But blogging has been such a fun adventure for me: it has lead to a part-time job with Visit Indiana, an almost-free trip to Boston, and even affects how I cook in my kitchen. (Let's not discuss it's affect on the cleanliness of my house, however.) It all started with this very first post.

Hope you enjoyed this look back. Now it's my turn to nominate five of my favorite bloggers to join in the fun. (Ladies, this is sort of like a chain letter, so feel free to ignore if you're not interested or have already been nominated.)

Midwest Guest
Amy's Food Flights
Suitcases and Sippy Cups
Go Big or Go Home
Go Explore Nature

Then And Now: In Video

2011-07-18T09:11:00.000-04:00

This week marks the first birthday of Arrows Sent Forth. (Go ahead, have a cupcake!) It's hard to believe I've been working on this blog for a year now. (I also can't believe how embarassing some of my first posts were... ) So much about our lives have changed since then, and since the beginning of our family travels. I'll be indulging in a bit of reminiscing here this week.

I'm a terrible videographer and if our video camera even gets packed to come with us on vacation, it's a miracle. I tend to only shoot video around home, because I hate having one more thing to lug around while we're out and about. But I did get some footage of the arrow on our first vacation--a long weekend in South Haven, Michigan. And you're in luck... these were the days before the blog began, so the arrow's name is revealed in this video! (In case you miss it, it starts with B and rhymes with pen!)

Jumping in South Haven

I hope that didn't make you seasick. He sure was cute, though! The arrow has moved on to sitting at the dining room table and coloring to keep himself occupied (although I'm sure he'd love to get a few minutes in that jumper now!) I had to shoot some video for HomeAway while we were in Boston, so here's a taste of what the arrow is like at 2, not six months. (And you'll notice we don't actually call him in "the arrow" in real life!)

Breakfast in Boston

Apparently the arrow is much more interested in hamming it up for the camera than his father is.

I know we have so many more adventures and traveling ahead of us (and soon, two arrows to film!) I hope you'll keep reading, commenting, and getting to know our family better in Year 2 of Arrows Sent Forth. We've had lots of fun getting to know so many of you.

I'll have another "then and now" post to share on Friday. It won't involve terribly unprofessional video (you can thank me later). And tomorrow I'll be participating in the My 7 Links Project that Tripbase has put together.

For now, I'll leave you with a bit of housekeeping. It only took me a year, but I finally started a Facebook page for Arrows Sent Forth. If you're looking for an easy way to keep up with us, feel free to "like us" over there.

This post is a part of Mondays are for Dreaming at The Mother of All Trips.