Animal encounters at the Indianapolis Zoo

On Monday, I shared my dream about making some return trips to the Indianapolis Zoo and checking out the Cincinnati Zoo. We had so much fun last summer taking the arrow on his first trips to the zoo. I thought it would be all about capturing childhood memories, but as it turns out, I got to enjoy admiring these amazing creatures up close right along with him. Here are a few of my favorite zoo friends:

Cheetahs at the Indianapolis Zoo

I especially like the two cheetahs off in the distance keeping an eye on things.

Rhinos at the Indianapolis Zoo

And speaking of keeping an eye on us... this guy had quite the stare. I was happy he was behind the fence.


A seal sunbathing at the Indianapolis Zoo

But this friendly soul was my kind of animal. Soaking up the rays!

While visiting a zoo is a great introduction to exotic animals, I have always wanted to go on an African safari to experience the beauty of animals in their natural habitat. (Who doesn't have this on their bucket list?) Fortunately, some blogs I love have been sharing a few photos from their safari experiences lately so at least I get a sneak peak into the beauty of seeing these animals in the wild.

• On Safari: King of the Jungle, On Safari: African Cats and On Safari: The Big Guys from Camels and Chocolate
• African Lion Hunt from Ciao Bambino
• Dreaming of Safari from Two Kids and a Map (Jen shares my dream of an African safari... perhaps I'll follow her lead and start with a stay at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge someday!)

If you're planning a trip to the Indianapolis Zoo, I posted some tips here.

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

Window Clings: A Great Toy for Traveling Toddlers

We've got a new favorite toy around here: window clings that I bought at Target in the clearance section for a buck. I got these window clings to entertain the arrow on our flight to Florida, but they were buried deep in our bag and I forgot all about them. I stumbled upon them this week and thought I'd see how he liked them.

He kept saying, "Mom, I paint! I paint!" (My little Picasso!) He moved them around and around and around for about an hour. He loved the bright, vibrant shades of purple, red, green and yellow and we practiced saying each color.

Window clings would make a great "stuck inside on a rainy day" toy, or an easy craft to bring along on a trip since they take up no space (and make no mess). You could stick them to a table or side of an oven. (Or car windows on a road trip!) I'm still going to keep them on my airplane goodie bag list, they'd be perfect for sticking to the window or tray table and keeping little hands busy.

This post is a part of You Capture at I Should Be Folding Laundry. The theme this week is Vibrant. I'm also linking up to Things I Love Thursday at the Diaper Diaries and Fun for Kids Fridays at Local Fun for Kids.

Caddy's on the Beach with kids

After arriving in Tampa/St. Petersburg a few weeks ago for our long-awaited Florida vacation, we were ready for a good, casual meal. The arrow was tired from a lack of a decent nap that day, and his parents wanted fresh seafood in a bad, bad way. So off we went to Caddy's on the Beach in nearby Sunset Beach, Florida.

Caddy's on the Beach

Caddy's is an ideal set-up for a fun beach party, but while we were there (5-6ish in the evening), it was very family friendly. There was live music playing, but it was directed toward the bar area and wasn't overpowering. (In fact, it really helped us relax after a long travel day.) The food was also delicious. My husband and I broke our longstanding rule of ordering different meals by both ordering grouper sandwiches. It was well worth making an exception for--they melted in our fresh fish-deprived Hoosier mouths.

Grouper Sandwich at Caddy's on the Beach

While the food itself was delicious, the location was even better. It's literally right on the beach. And by that I mean my toes were buried in the sand while we ate. Even the arrow, who had been a little grumpy on our way there, was all smiles. (And if he hadn't cheered up, the sound of the surf would have drowned out his fussiness.) It's a great place to take kids earlier in the evening, because they can literally play on the beach while waiting on food or after the meal is over. Plus, you might catch one of those glorious Floridian sunsets!

Beachside dining at Caddy's on the Beach

If You Visit:
Caddy's on the Beach
9000 W. Gulf Blvd., Sunset Beach, FL
Open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. 7 days a week.
Parking is available in the lot adjacent to the restaurant for $5. Just show your ticket to the server, and they will take the $5 off your bill.
Insider Tip: Try to get one of the picnic tables on the beach.

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

Let's go to the zoo!

The arrow's second birthday is almost upon us and now that he's a bit older, I'm looking forward to seeing how he's changed by doing some repeat adventures. I have such fond memories of taking him to the Louisville Zoo and the Indianapolis Zoo for the first time last year. While the zoo itself might not be that different, I bet the arrow's enjoyment and interaction will be.

Case in point: the Indianapolis Zoo has a spectacular dolphin show that we saw last summer. My mom and I were completely mesmerized by it, but the arrow was totally disinterested and squirmy the entire time. I think he had trouble understanding what he was supposed to be looking at and overwhelmed by the other people there. This year, I have a feeling he'll connect much better with the dolphins as they flip, leap, splash and squeal.

Mom, why does everyone think this dolphin show is so great?

Another big change since our list visits to a zoo? It's kind of a big one: he can WALK. He was just starting to toddle around on our most recent trip to the Indianapolis Zoo in the fall. He ventured out of the stroller a few times, but for the most part, he was just a passenger. I bet I'll do a lot more chasing this spring!

Old enough to wave to the rhinos, but not quite walking!

Another reason to make a return trip to the Indianapolis Zoo? Three new exhibits just opened up, which I wrote about for Visit Indiana. I'd also like to get to the Cincinnati Zoo this year. I've heard lots of great things about it from friends, and it's less than two hours away. In fact, we want to plan an entire Cincinnati getaway weekend. It's a city I've only experienced in bits and pieces, despite being so close.

I'm not the only blogger with zoos on the brain lately:

• Travels with Children had a post recently about some of her family's favorite Midwestern zoos.
• Dominique at Midwest Guest wrote about an amazing photography exhibit at the Detroit Zoo.
• Mara at The Mother of All Trips had an interview with a staff member at the Dallas Zoo, who offered fantastic tips on how to help your kids get the most out of a trip to the zoo.

Want to see less pictures of the arrow and more pictures of actual zoo animals? Check back on Friday, when I'll be posting a few of my favorite up-close-and-personal encounters from our visits to the Indianapolis Zoo last summer!

What's your favorite zoo?

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

Memories from the 2010 Final 4 in Indianapolis

It's March, and so as a proud alum of Butler University, our family is all about basketball madness right now. I have fond memories of my little school's run to the championship game last year, so I wanted to share a few snapshots of last year's amazing Final Four experience in my hometown city, Indianapolis.

This was when it hit me... the Bulldog logo on Lucas Oil Stadium! We've truly arrived!

Side note: Make plans to attend the Final Four next time it's in Indianapolis. No city hosts big events better than my town. The stadium is right in the heart of downtown, not in some far away suburb like you'll find in many places. It's family-friendly, walkable, affordable, easily accessible. And FUN. I can't wait for Indy to strut its stuff when we host the Super Bowl next year.

My husband may be a Notre Dame alum, but I've converted him on the idea that nothing beats Butler basketball in March.

Love this one of my mom and sister. The Road Really Does End Here.

Start of the championship game (I much preferred the start over the eventual heartbreaking outcome.)

While we attended the games without the arrow, we included him in the free practice session earlier in the weekend. The fun he had made him a fan for life, as you can see!

The best part of it all? We're still dancing!!!!

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

Riding bikes on the Columbus People Trail

This week, I'm participating in a relatively new link-up at Adventuroo, called Capture the Everyday. The theme this week is 'something you love about your home.' Our home is a work in progress. We bought the house because of the floor plan and the neighborhood (and the hardwood floors... love those). We've changed almost every light fixture and painted every room in the past year. Next up is a kitchen remodel. As someone who doesn't really enjoy home improvement, my feelings about our current house are a mixed bag.

But one thing I do love? We're three houses away from the Columbus People Trail. This is the bike/walking path that runs all over town. We can hop on our bikes and visit all sorts of fun places in minutes, while feeling the wind blow on our faces and getting some exercise in the process. I'm thankful the weather has warmed up in recent days and family bike rides have once again become a nightly tradition.

Curious about our bike seat? It's an iBert Safe-T Front Mounted Child Bicycle Seat,* which I wrote about here.

If You Visit:
Columbus People Trail
The Trail is not completely connected as of yet (although you can bike to them all via sidewalks or streets). To connect to the trail, I recommend parking at:
Blackwell Park
Westenedge and Parkside Dr., Columbus, IN
-or-
Mill Race Park
Fifth and Lindsey Street, Columbus, IN
An overall synopsis of the Columbus People Trail is available here. (This post refers to Westenedge Park... which is now called Blackwell Park.)
Insider Tip:
If you want to plan a bike ride around mealtime, you could stop for breakfast, lunch or dinner at Hangar Five from the trail near Blackwell Park and watch the planes take off and land while you eat.

This post is a part of:

*Amazon affiliate link.

A morning at Ellis Park

Now that the arrow thinks he's quite the accomplished walker, discovering new playgrounds wherever we go has been a lot of fun for our family. This weekend, we visited my sister's family and got to explore a new-to-us park that is her family's favorite. I wrote about the Playscape playground at Danville, Indiana's Ellis Park at the Indiana Insider for Visit Indiana this week.

While the playground is wonderful, my greatest joy was watching my arrow and his cousin arrows play together. We hadn't visited them in more than a month, and it was really heartwarming to see them make memories together.

Mastering the bouncy bridge.

Playing peekaboo with my nephew

Wanna go for a ride, Mom?

My niece was a little too young to keep up with the boys on the playground.
But I couldn't pass up an opportunity to show off this sweet face!

If You Visit:
Ellis Park
600 E. Main Street, Danville, Indiana
Free admission.
Insider Tip: Pack a swimsuit if you visit in the summer. The park has a nice pool, complete with a few waterslides. In December, the park has a great Christmas lights display.

This post is a part of You Capture at I Should Be Folding Laundry. The theme this week is Youth.