Chateau de Vaux le Vicomte near Paris

Like kids all over the world, my boys opened up a brand new tub of Legos on Christmas morning. I  read the age description on the box: suitable for 4-99, and thought, how rare to find something that can be enjoyed by such a wide range of ages.

And that's the task I had ahead of me when trying to find a day trip destination from Paris suitable for a multigenerational group of nine during our Christmas trip. I knew a break from the city during a week-long trip would be both pleasant and necessary. We all crave an escape from the crowds and the fast pace after a while. So I read up on a lot of the usual suspects. Versailles sounded way too big and unmanageable for our crew of nine to navigate in a few hours. Given the typical weather in December and January, Giverny and Normandy didn't sound like good options with young children either.

I somehow stumbled upon Chateau de Vaux le Vicomte's website. And I just had a hunch it was a good fit for us. It was probably my favorite day of the trip, as it was so peaceful and beautiful, and yet still decidedly French from beginning to end. We barely had to share the place with anyone else. The Christmas décor was unlike anything I'd seen before. Gorgeous, but not gaudy. The kids were pretty mesmerized by the whole experience, too.

Christmas Eve in London

Do you ever have days out with your family where everything just clicks? Nobody whines. Nobody throws a fit on the train. Everyone has so much fun it sort of feels like your favorite song is playing on repeat in the background all day long.

That is definitely not our every day. But that was our Christmas Eve in London.

I wish I had some behind-the-scenes, magic secret to share with you on why the day was such a success. I don't. It helped that the crowds were very manageable. It even helped that Little Arrow was a bit under the weather, meaning he was content to sit in his stroller for long walks most of the day.

And of course, it helps that London puts on a pretty good show when it comes to Christmas spirit and decorations.

We started at Selfridge's, one of London's most famous department stores. My two made a beeline for the toy shop.

Robert's Tree Farm (video)

One of my new year's resolutions is to take more video. Now that both the Arrows are mobile, it seems like the most realistic way to capture our life and our travels these days. Plus, I fully realize that in the blink of an eye they'll be cranky teenagers giving me the stink eye every time I take out my camera.

So when we returned to Robert's Tree Farm for our third annual Christmas tree selection, it seemed like a good time to practice being the official videographer of our family.

Besides spending time with our families, our visit to the tree farm is definitely my favorite holiday tradition. Just me, my boys and the great outdoors in the Indiana countryside. Here's a fun look back at our day there.



(I've decided that the best part about video is you can edit out some of the obnoxious, inappropriate behavior of your 3-year-old, plus you can cover up his whining with fun music!)

Crave more info about this place or the fun of picking your tree right from the field?

• 2010 Trip to Robert's Tree Farm
• 2011 Trip to Robert's Tree Farm
• The Joy of Homegrown Indiana Christmas Trees at the Indiana Insider Blog

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

Zaharakos for the Holidays (video)

There are just some places that I struggle to really capture with the written word. (This does not bode well for my writing career, unfortunately.)

Zaharakos, the 1900 ice cream parlor and soda fountain here in Columbus, Indiana, where we call home, is that sort of place. I've written about Zaharakos here and for Visit Indiana, but I've never felt like I've done it justice. And during this season of good cheer, it's all decked out in its holiday finest, making it even harder to describe.

So this time around, I went with video and put this little ditty together for the Columbus Visitors Center, where I've been blogging regularly over the last few months. My video skills could use some work too, but at least its a new take on one of our favorite spots.



Yes, you saw that correctly, I do in fact feed my baby ice cream. These kids won't grow big and strong on fruits and veggies alone. In fact, a giant serving of their chocolate ice cream was the last thing I ate before having Little Arrow a year ago!

Here are a few other photos from our recent visit.

I think my favorite part of Zaharakos' atmosphere is the chairs. It makes me really nostalgic for the ice cream shop my family went to when I was a little girl. And I love that I'm giving the Arrows those same memories.

Mmmmm. Soda syrups!

Someday he'll love me enough to look at the camera and smile.


This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby and Friday Daydreamin' at R We There Yet Mom?

Don't forget to check out my Passports with Purpose prize, an Ergobaby Carrier and Travel Pack!

How to Help Kids Remember Travel

Occasionally I'll read articles by or about naysayers when it comes to family travel. One of their biggest arguments against traveling with young kids is that these children will never remember the experience, thus making it not worth the effort or the cost. I find this logic really faulty for a few reasons:

• Remembering a trip isn't the point. I love traveling with young kids in part because it teaches them flexibility, patience, diversity, proper behavior on airplanes, in restaurants, how to sleep away from home, etc. They may not remember the specifics, but these lessons become ingrained in them at a young age via travel. And hopefully, we'll reap the rewards as they get a bit older. 
• Important time together as a family. When my husband has time off and we decide to stay home, we inevitably get caught up in projects or chores around the house. When we travel, we simply spend time together away from those distractions, enjoying one another and our surroundings.

• YOU will remember it. Someday the Arrows will grow up and leave our nest. I hope that in 20 years I'll be sitting on a beach with my husband, enjoying retirement, and reminiscing about watching our boys splashing in the water as babies.
• My experience shows that young kids often DO remember trips!

With the exception of trips we took before he turned 2, Big Arrow (now 3 1/2) remembers and frequently talks about all of our vacations and many outings we take. Sometimes he'll comment on something that to me was completely insignificant, months and months after we return home, like what color train we took in Boston or that time we let him take his shoes off at a restaurant.

I'm sure he doesn't remember everything, and he may end up recalling very little by the time he's older, but seriously, who cares?

But if you DO care, here are a few ways we keep the memory of vacations and adventures alive in our boys:

1. Read books. This doesn't mean you have to spend a lot of money on a book about every destination (although they'd make great gifts or souvenirs). We check out books from the library, or we read general books that have an element related to where we're going or where we've been.

A few recommendations:

• 1001 Things to Spot on Vacation: We've gotten a lot of mileage out of this book because it covers so many different types of trips. Plus, it's a great one for planes or car rides because there is an interaction component to it. It's like the Where's Waldo of travel.
• A series of board books called Good Night Our World. These location-specific books cover everything from Martha's Vineyard to San Francisco.* (Kudos to a loyal ASF reader for starting us on these with the San Francisco book!)
• Jessica at Suitcases and Sippy Cups recommends the Toot and Puddle* stories. I've seen the show a few times and it is really cute.
• Colleen from Travel Mamas suggested the Madeline books, the Curious George books* (I second that!), and also recommends Barefoot Books for a good selection of multicultural books.
• Crystal from Naked Salsa said her 3-year-old daughter loves Biscuit's First Trip.* Big Arrow really enjoys the Biscuit books he has.
• A fellow travel mama and ASF Facebook fan suggests Angela's Airplane.*

2. Play pretend. I'm always catching Big Arrow deep in an imaginary storyline with a plot that I can barely follow. Often his imagination takes him somewhere we've been before or recalls a particular event we went to. When I caught him "playing zoo" with Little Arrow a few weeks ago, I couldn't resist capturing it on video. He got a little silly when he realized I was filming, naturally. But bonus points for the creative use of a baby gate!



If your kids need a little encouragement when it comes to make-believe, you could think about where you've traveled lately. Perhaps a pretend trip to the museum or an imaginary airplane ride!

3. Pictures and video. Maybe it's just my kid, but Big Arrow is obsessed with seeing himself, whether it is in pictures or video. (In fact, he's asked to watch that zoo video about 30 times.) This is a great way to keep those memories fresh. You could even make small photo books for them to flip through after a big trip and display photos in their bedroom.

4. Just talk about it. Sometimes when we have time to kill (often in the car), I'll ask Big Arrow what he remembers about a vacation. Or what his favorite part was. Or what he didn't like. (This is often pretty funny, actually.)


I don't do these things with my kids because I'm desperate for them to remember our travels or because I'm super mom. Like I said, I don't really care. I see enough benefits to traveling when they're young to do it anyway. I just happen to love travel, so reading vacation books instead of another Elmo one or talking about our favorite museums while driving home from preschool is just fun for me (and hopefully them).


This post is a part of Travel Tips Tuesday at Suitcases and Sippy Cups and Walking on Travels.


*Affiliate links.

Look down.

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.

Redington Beach on Dwellable

Celebration Crossing at the Indiana State Museum

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

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.

Happy New Year!

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.

Hood Milk Bottle at the Boston Children's Museum

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.

Summer Adventures

I love that warmer weather has arrived and wrapped her arms around me. I've been waiting for this hug aaaaaaaaaaaaaall winter long. Spring and summer bring such a great sense of possibility. There's more to see, do and experience, and I can't wait to get out there. I've decided I better put some of my goals down on paper (or megabyte, or whatever you call it when it's out in cyberspace). Let's hope this works better than my Christmas season goals (of which we accomplished nothing).

• An Indianapolis Indians game. Back in the pre-arrow days, this was a favorite date night for my husband and me. Victory Field is one of the best minor league ballparks in the country, and it's so family friendly. I can't believe we haven't taken the arrow yet, but that will definitely change this summer. (So if the end of July rolls around and I have written about it, you'll remind me, right?)
• Farms. I really want to go to a u-pick farm (strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries are all readily available in the summer throughout Indiana). There's also a lavender farm, herb farm and buffalo farm around Indiana that intrigue me. And I'd love a return trip to Traders Point Creamery, this time in the summer. Of course, this will be in addition to our nearly weekly trips to nearby farmers markets!




Camping at Warren Dunes in Michigan last fall


• More camping. We took the arrow camping at Warren Dunes State Park in southwest Michigan last fall and had a blast, despite a 40-degree drop in temperature while there. I've got a few spots in mind that I want to get to around southern Indiana: McCormicks Creek State Park (one of Indiana's best campgrounds, in my opinion), Clifty Falls State Park (from which we can explore quaint Madison, Indiana or venture over to Cincinnati), and Spring Mill State Park (a jewel in Indiana's state park system that I'm embarassed to admit I've never visited).
• A long weekend away. Most of my husband's vacation time is already allocated to a few things we've got going on this year. But we've got a day or two to play with here and there this summer, so I'd love to do a little mini-trip. Maybe cash in some frequent flyer miles and head to Washington DC? Or a hiking trip somewhere closer? A visit to the Windy City? Perhaps we'll join my sister's family for a few days on their summer vacation.

There are a few "adventures" around home that require our attention this summer, too.

• Transitioning the arrow to a big boy bed. Hold me.
• Potty training. Hold me tighter.

Sigh. I'm trying to look on the bright side. While I might lose my sanity, it will hopefully mean the end of diapers and dragging that pack 'n play all over God's creation. If this blog goes radio silent for a few weeks, it just might be because no one is sleeping and we're drowning in soiled laundry. Send help.

The arrow and his dad grilling last summer.

So fire up the grill and let's get these summer adventures rolling. If you're looking for us, we'll be in the backyard letting the arrow run around naked.

This post is a part of Mondays are for Dreaming at The Mother of All Trips and What's Your Word: Adventure at Mommy Words.

Happy Holidays!

The arrow and I want to wish you and yours the happiest of holidays. We've had so much fun sharing our adventures with all of you over the last six months. Perhaps you've been inspired to go on an outing with your kids. Maybe you've read a tip that helped you on a trip. Or you could just be drawn here by the arrow's big brown eyes. (I don't blame you, they get me every time.) Regardless, thanks for reading. Your comments and kind words are the reason I do this. Many of you have given us a great deal of encouragement to try new and wonderful things as a family. I'm incredibly grateful that you pay this little blog a visit from time to time.

I won't be posting next week--instead, we'll be tackling a few projects around the house and just enjoying some quality family time. But we hope you'll stick around to see what we're up to next in 2011!

Every once in a while I hand the camera over to my partner in crime. This photo was taken on our hay ride to the Christmas tree fields at Roberts Tree Farm in Seymour, Indiana, which I blogged about here last week. 

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

Sampling food at Traders Point Creamery

Last week, I shared a couple of pictures of Traders Point Creamery's restaurant all decked out for the holidays. And while that was beautiful and rustic, I walked away from my time there very focused on the food we ate.

Traders Point Creamery is one of the nation's only all-organic dairy farms, located on the northwest side of Indianapolis. You can practically taste their slow, gentle approach to farming. It's a really fun place to visit, tour the farm, and even explore the gorgeous farmland on some walking paths they've cleared. But be sure not to miss the food. Oh, the food!

First we sampled their yogurt. It's made in the European, drinkable style. Yum. I can't wait to bring the arrow here, he would devour this yogurt.

Then it was on to their cheese, a spreadable fromage with fresh herbs.

We wrapped up the dairy delights with a sample of chocolate milk and egg nog. Their chocolate milk is made with melted swiss chocolate. Chocolate heaven, if you ask me.

Just when I thought it was over, out comes a spread of tapas. Nearly all of what you see here was cultivated on the property. Grass-fed beef skewers, squash rounds, and homemade hummus, fresh from the garden.

In case we weren't taking their word for it, then we got to go see ol' Bessie for ourselves. If you've ever toured a more industrial dairy farm, you know those cows don't get to lay around on fresh hay with lots space to move about. After a trip we took to Fair Oaks Farms in northwest Indiana, which mass produces dairy products on an enormous scale, it was so refreshing to see some happier cows.

You can bet this won't be the last time I belly up to the Traders Point Dairy Bar. If you're interested in sampling their yogurt, cheese or milk, much of which is available in many places around the country, you can find a list of stores carrying their products here.

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

Disclosure: I participated in the Hendricks County Convention and Visitors Bureau's recent Holiday Tour. A stop at Traders Point Creamery was included and my expenses were paid. I was under no obligation to write about our time there. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Over the river and through the woods to find our Christmas tree

Now that our little guy is beginning to understand the magic of this season, I wanted to make our Christmas tree experience something special--a trip to a mass retailer parking lot just wouldn't cut it for us this year. So this weekend we headed out into the woods to Roberts Tree Farm in Seymour, Indiana. It was an awesome spot. Uncommercialized. Friendly. Still doing business the same way they always have. I just love places like that, and it's particularly refreshing this time of year.

You know those outings that end up being just about perfect? This was one of those times. I'll let the pictures (and running commentary from the arrow) show you all the fun we had.

Mom, stop talking about how cute these Carhartt overalls are. I'm a manly man!

You mean I'm going to get to run around a snow-covered field? I can't wait!

They have a dog here too? Oh, this place is great!

I love a good chance to snuggle with dad, especially on a hay ride.

They all look good to me, Mom.

And they smell good, too.

My parents say this is the one we're taking home.
(Note from mom: When selecting a tree from a large, open field, trees look much smaller than they will in your house. This massive mound of pine is now taking up 75% of our living room.)

Cookies and a warm fire? Let's call it a day.

We ended our adventure by warming up around a real wood burning stove in a cozy little cottage while they drilled and tied up our tree. The cottage was stocked with cookies made by the owner's wife and hot chocolate and cider in crockpots. A sweet and warm ending to a perfect morning in the crisp winter weather.

This post is a part of You Capture at I Should Be Folding Laundry. This week's theme is outdoors.

Christmas at Traders Point Creamery

Earlier this week, I blogged about my time at Traders Point Creamery in Zionsville, Indiana at the Indiana Insider (read that post here). It was a wonderful afternoon where time seemed to slow down a bit, which is always welcome during the frantic pace of the holidays. Traders Point is one of the nation's only all-organic dairy farms. The food we sampled was incredible... I'm sure I'll be writing more about that in the weeks to come.

But today, I wanted to share two photos to bring you some holiday cheer. Traders Point's restaurant was all decked out for Christmas, most notably this beautiful (live!) tree:

In case you forget you're at a dairy farm, these adorable cow bell ornaments:

And now I officially feel guilty that my own tree isn't up yet!

If you're in the area this weekend or next, consider attending their Christmas on the Farm event, which is geared toward kids.

Disclosure: I participated in the Hendricks County Convention and Visitors Bureau's recent Holiday Tour. A stop at Traders Point Creamery was included and my expenses were paid. I was under no obligation to write about our time there. The opinions expressed here are my own.

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