Capturing "A Week in my Life"

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

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

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:

• KaBOOM!'s Playground Finder
• Delicious Baby's Tips 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.

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

Fort Wayne's Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory

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

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

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

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.