Road Trip Tip: Plan A Picnic

Many families I know are deep in the preparations for spring break road trips. Even if you're not heading somewhere in the next few weeks, perhaps you're thinking about hitting the highway this summer.

One of the most challenging aspects of a long road trip is that young kids (and even adults!) start to feel awfully cooped up in such a tight space. There are no opportunities to move or get the wiggles out while strapped in a car seat. And yet you don't want to waste too much time stopping for play breaks, when you'd rather be forging ahead and arriving at your ultimate destination as soon as possible.

Here's where the picnic pitstop saves the day. You've probably got to stop and eat and take a potty break at some point along the way, right? (If not, kudos for being a robot!) Instead of forcing your kids to continue to sit still at a restaurant, pack a picnic. Then they can run around, play on a playground, etc., while eating lunch or dinner.

This is also great if you've got a baby in the mix. A picnic is a chance to spread a blanket and let the little one roll around, lay on their back, and get a change in scenery from their car seat, even if they're not mobile yet.

On our 7 hour ride to Pinconcinng, Michigan this summer, we were thrilled to learn that a fabulous state park was just off the exit near the halfway point of our drive. There, our oldest explored the playground while running back to the picnic for spoonfuls of yogurt and bites of sandwich. Our youngest, then 8 months, jumped all over daddy and rolled around on the picnic blanket, and then enjoyed drinking a bottle in the great outdoors on a bench instead of crammed in a restaurant booth. In total, we stopped for 45 minutes. It was the only stop we had to make because we accomplished three essential goals: bathroom, lunch, and play.

A few tips for the perfect picnic pitstop:

1. Pack your meal the night before. There are plenty of other things to do the morning you depart. You won't want to be making PB&Js, so do it the night before.
2. Choose foods that don't require utensils. Or pack plastic ones like we did for yogurt. And don't forget the paper plates and napkins. You'll want to just toss everything in the trash when you're done eating, and not clutter your car with dirty items.
3. Find a park if possible. Probably nicer than a rest stop, although that would work fine in a pinch. Research where you are likely to be a few hours into the trip, or where you anticipate being around a mealtime.
4. Once you're on the road, apps like Road Ninja tell you what you'll find at approaching exits on your route, in case you have to make a change in picnic location on the fly.
5. Get a waterproof blanket. Soft and cozy on one side, waterproof on the other. Perfect to spread if the grass is a little wet or muddy when you stop. It can then double as a beach blanket or fort-making device once you've arrived at your destination.
6. Have a rain plan. Picnics can be tricky in inclement weather, but with a little planning, still possible!

• Maybe there is an indoor play center along the way. My town has one, called The Commons, that's just a couple of miles from a major interstate exit.
• Or perhaps the park you've planned on visiting has shelters you could use. Your kids could still run around under the roof. (And maybe pack bubbles and sidewalk chalk as an activity to keep them out of the rain.) 
• Many museums let you bring in food. Even if it's not one you had on your must-see list, it likely has at least an exhibit or two that your kids could explore before or after eating.

We're embarking on another lengthy drive in a few weeks on our way to Lake of the Ozarks. I'm certain we'll be making another picnic pitstop, perhaps with the St. Louis arch as our backdrop!

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

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!

AppleWorks in Trafalgar, Indiana

Like much of the country, we had some really bizarre weather this spring and summer. An oddly warm March, followed by an extremely dry summer. It caused all sorts of problems with many of the crops grown here. One of my favorite fall activities, the annual trek to the apple orchard, was affected as well.

The apple trees at AppleWorks in Trafalgar were hard hit, so picking apples wasn't an option (although they had plenty for sale). But for me, it just made a visit and a little financial support of their enterprise all the more important. So when a friend called me up and said they were heading that way, we jumped at the chance to spend a morning there.

They've got an awesome petting zoo. Two years ago, Big Arrow was particularly taken by the sheep. This year, it was the llamas.

Gotta get in for a closer look.

Award for most creative use of a barn? This slide!

Big Arrow was a little scared, but with encouragement from his buddies, he made it down. (And then, go figure, wanted to do it again and again and again.)

Next up was a miniature train ride through the orchard ($3 per person). A little bumpy but beautiful views of southern Indiana's rolling hillside. They also offer hay rides.

My favorite part of the AppleWorks experience is exploring the short trails that weave through the orchard, especially around their pond. (If you have a jogging stroller, bring it. You can easily navigate these paths with one.)

Beautiful photo opportunities. (We attempted to get all of us in a picture. Our only fail of the day.)

The sunlight coming through Little Arrow's ears makes me chuckle. The Arrows did NOT get their ears from me.

Tossing pebbles in the pond. Boys will be boys.

Do you think they missed the apples? Not a chance.

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

Nienaber's Farm Market

Last year I wrote about how excited I was to add a new "pumpkin" to our family when we made our annual trek to Nienaber's Farm Market. So even though I went to a different pumpkin patch with Big Arrow on his field trip earlier this month (to Hackman's Farm Market), there was no way I was going to let fall slip by without taking both my pumpkins to our traditional "patch."

Our first challenge when we got to Nienaber's was what to do with Little Arrow since he's not quite walking (and thankfully, no longer in the womb like he was last year!) Naturally, we plopped him in the wagon meant for hauling pumpkins. Dirt and all.

And then we let Big Arrow do the hard work of pulling him. Lazy parenting at its finest.

Big Arrow was our official pumpkin selector.

And Little Arrow had to keep all the pumpkins in the wagon. He was happily up to the task.

So where did our pumpkins end up? Mom and Dad finally took on some work of their own.

 

I'd show you the final product but let's just say we carved our pumpkins a week or two early and they are currently in a state of serious rot on our front porch. Ick.


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

Columbus Scottish Festival

One of the things I truly enjoy about living in Columbus, Indiana is that it never stops surprising me. (Not always in a good way... I've been truly shocked by behavior I've observed at WalMart. But that's true everywhere, right?)

Often these moments of unexpected joy happen at events we decide to check out spur of the moment. A few weekends ago, we headed to the Columbus Scottish Festival. A celebration of Scotland smack dab in the middle of southern Indiana. Naturally.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Cheesey attempts at the Scottish brogue? Lame faux kilts? Out of tune bagpipers? So far from the truth. Yes, we saw kilts. But they were the real deal.

Later, Little Arrow tapped his toes while Big Arrow rocked out to the tunes of a funky Celtic band.

Then we listened to a dragon tell tales of knights and princesses.

But my favorite part of the day was observing the opening ceremonies, followed by the Highland Games. All extremely authentic. I never realized how moving the sound of dozens and dozens of bagpipers could be. (I kind of expected Mel Gibson to come riding through on horseback shouting "Freedom!!!")

And I was incredibly impressed by men who could launch a 50 lb. weight high into the air while wearing a kilt.

Only to be outdone by men launching towering logs across the field.

Scotland has long been on my list of places to visit. At least I got a little taste right in my own backyard.


PS: The Arrows had a lot of fun at the Festival and were all smiles (until it was time to leave).



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

Welcome Columbus Magazine readers!

Hello out there! If you found Arrows Sent Forth via Columbus Magazine, welcome! We're a local family that loves to travel, both around Indiana and around the country. We share the stories from our adventures on this blog.

Big Arrow is 3 1/2 and Little Arrow is almost 10 months old. Here they are enjoying the recent Columbus Scottish Festival (which I'll be writing more about next week):

You can read more about our family and this blog here. And if you're looking for family-friendly day trip ideas around the state, be sure to check out my Indiana Adventures page (there's an entire section on fun things to do around Columbus).

If you'd like to keep up with us, you can subscribe via a reader here, or fill in your email address in the box in the upper left corner and you'll get new posts delivered straight to your inbox. Or follow our adventures on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

And if you're so inclined, leave me a comment below and introduce yourself. I always love to hear from new readers, especially those that are practically neighbors!

4 Tips for Visiting Farmer's Markets with Kids

It's almost Farmer's Market season around here (the Columbus Farmer's Market opens the first Saturday in June!) Whenever we're in town, this is always a weekly tradition for us. And we often visit markets when we're traveling.

Chesterton European Market in northern Indiana

Over at Visit Indiana's blog, I shared some general tips for farmer's market visits. But going with kids make a trip a little different, so here are four kid-specific farmer's market tips.

1. Seek out some kid-friendly activities. I have found that most markets have these. For instance, at St. Petersburg's Saturday Morning Market, there was a booth with baby chicks that kids could hold and touch. Kidscommons, the children's museum in Columbus, often has a booth at our market with bubbles and crafts for kids. My son is much more patient when we do the rest of our market shopping if he gets some play time too.

Saturday Morning Market in St. Petersburg, Florida

2. Let them select some fruits or veggies. This is a great idea if you have a picky eater. I do this at the grocery store, too. Big Arrow usually gets to pick out a produce item, and he's much more likely to try it at home.

3. Give kids a budget. Many markets offer a lot of tasty treats of the sweet, sugary variety. It can become a hassle if your children beg you for something everytime you stop at a booth. This year, we plan to let Big Arrow have a couple of dollars each time we go to the market to select the treat of his choice. He's going to have to earn the money by helping out around home. And it will give him something to look around for as we wander through the market.

4. Go on a scavenger hunt. It can be pretty simple, like finding something red, green and blue. Or if your kids are a little older, challenge them to find more obscure vegetables. Count the number of dogs you see or the tents. Simple tasks like this help to challenge kids and keep their minds busy!

Whatever you do, make it fun. Our weekly trip to the farmer's market is one of Big Arrow's favorite things to do. What do you love most about farmer's markets?

MORE: You can read about our visits to farmer's markets around Indiana here. I reviewed the Chesterton European Market in northwest Indiana for Visit Indiana here. Soon, I'll be writing about the St. Petersburg Saturday Morning Market.

This post is a part of Travel Tips Tuesday at Suitcase and Sippy Cups and Walkingon Travels. I'm also linking up to Wanderfood Wednesday at Wanderlust and Lipstick.

Hike at Tangeman Woods

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.

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.

Introducing Little Arrow

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

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.

Do Bloggers Take Maternity Leave?

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.

New Discoveries at the Pumpkin Patch

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.