Then and Now: 2013 edition

I love the way photos help us mark the passage of time, particularly when it comes to the growth of young kids. One of the things I hope to do now and then on this blog is show, in a visual way, how our adventures change as the Arrows grow older. I've done this before, but now that Little Arrow is in the mix, it's even more fun to look back.

In 2011, my husband captured this moment during our trek to the pumpkin patch at Nienabers Farm Market.

Fast forward a year during our return to Nienabers, sit on the same bench, and replace that big pregnant belly with an 11-month old. (We also got a new camera... huge difference!)

At the 2011 Indiana State Fair, Big Arrow couldn't get enough of Little Hands on the Farm, especially feeding the pig.

He was still pretty enamored with the pig in 2012 (and was also willing to wear the hat and apron they provide).

All while Little Arrow observed intently, quietly plotting his pig-feeding tactics for the 2013 fair.

During our 2011 trip to St. Petersburg, Florida, I relaxed on a beach chair at Fort De Soto Park and watched these two play in the water.

In 2012, I still watched these two play at Fort DeSoto.

I just did it from a beach blanket while nursing Little Arrow.

I can only imagine what 2013 will have in store for us and how quickly our lives and travels will change. Thankfully, I'll always have pictures to help me remember (particularly because the sleep deprivation and constant toddler chasing means I hardly recall what I ate for breakfast...)

Thanks for joining me on a little walk down memory lane!

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

Planning a Visit to Trader's Point Creamery

There are so many little gems around Indiana to explore (some of my favorites are listed at my Indiana Adventures page). But I think that one of the most unique spots has to be Traders Point Creamery on the northwest side of Indianapolis. Despite organic food being all the rage these days, this is one of the nation's only all-organic dairy farms.

Tucked away on a twisty, curvy road, you'd never realize you're just about 15 minutes from the heart of downtown. A visit to Traders Point Creamery lets you teach your kids about farming, where their food comes from, and the beauty of how Mother Nature provides for us, all in an accessible and affordable way.

Here are my suggestions for a fun day at the farm:

1.) Take a self-guided walking tour. While more formal tours are offered, if you're bringing the kids, I suggest moving at your own pace. Upon arrival, just check in at the small store. Cost is $2 per person and they'll provide you with a marked map. It's essentially a 1.5 mile loop around the farm, although you can walk less if the little legs you're bringing with you aren't up to the task. You can walk the grounds anytime between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Insider Tip: Bring your baby carrier (like this Ergobaby carrier I've donated to the Passports with Purpose fundraiser) and leave your stroller at home. The farm is much more manageable on foot than on wheels.

Insider Tip: Let the kids guide you with the map! (We had to steer these two in the right direction, but it was fun to let them think they were navigating...)

Insider Tip: Warn kids about the electric fences. The cows are free to roam the fields, but they are surrounded by a single electric wire fence. No one wants to end the trip early with a shock!

2.) Eat at The Loft. While you can find their products on the shelves of health food stores across the country (including many Whole Foods), in recent years the Creamery has expanded the operations to include a restaurant called The Loft.

The menu is full of options where most of the ingredients are either produced or grown on the farm.  And unlike some farm-to-table restaurants which can be a tad fancy, The Loft is very family-friendly and you'll feel comfortable dining there with kids of all ages. Their children's menu is healthy but fun.

The water comes in adorable mason jars.

3.) Pack a cooler. My friend who joined us was so smart to suggest we bring coolers to keep our purchases cold on the way home. Because this is a perfect time to stock up on their yogurt, cheeses and chocolate milk!

4.) End your visit with ice cream! Everyone's had a fun day already. But take it up a notch with some of their amazing ice cream. I'd share a photo, but I was too busy devouring it to stop and take a picture. (You understand, right?)

Insider tip: Order it in a cone. With a hint of cinnamon sugar, I thought the cone was just as delicious as the ice cream.

Suggested Itinerary:

Because they milk the cows at 4 p.m. daily (and you can watch!), visitors must clear off the paths around 3 p.m. So the staff at the Creamery suggested this as an ideal schedule for an afternoon at the Creamery:

2 p.m.: Arrive and spend an hour walking the grounds.
3 p.m.: Visit the Dairy Barn inside The Loft for ice cream.
4 p.m.: Watch the cows being milked.
Then you could either stay for an early dinner at The Loft or pick up some of their yummy products at the store and head home.

If you have little ones that typically nap in the afternoon like I do, then by all means visit in the morning. We missed out on the milking, but still had fun.

Christmas on the Farm:

Traders Point Creamery holds a lot of seasonal events (like an Oktoberfest in the fall and a weekly farmer's market in the summer). December 15 marks the 5th annual Christmas on the Farm. If you visit then, there will be sleigh rides, time with Old St. Nick, crafts, and hot chocolate made with the chocolate milk produced at the Creamery.


This post is a part of Travel Tips Tuesday at Suitcases and Sippy Cups / Walking on Travels and Wanderfood Wednesday at Wanderlust and Lipstick.

Memories from an Indianapolis Indians game

Anyone else mourning the unofficial end of summer? In so many ways, it seems as though its the summer months that define a year. Where did you vacation? How did you spend those long, hot days? What sun-filled memories will carry you through the cold, dreary months?

One of the quintissential summer memories for our family is a night at the ballpark. I'm sure it's grand to live in a city with a Major League team. I've been to a few of those games and ballparks and they're awesome. But with young kids, sometimes the ease, affordability and relaxing atmosphere of a Minor League game is where summer dreams are made.

We joined my sister's family this year for a fun night in the lawn area of Victory Field, home of the Indianapolis Indians. Kids got spoiled with sugary treats, babies got held, and adults chatted. And we even caught a few pitches and hits in between.

In a few months, when the sun sets before we've even sat down to dinner, I know I'll be happy we savored a long summer night, eating cotton candy when we'd normally be going through our bedtime routine. Watching the sun set behind the ballpark grandstands is a far better view, in my opinion.

If you're in the Indianapolis area, you're in luck. The Indians wrap up their season with home games this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. You'll find the Indians schedule here.

Last year, I wrote about attending an Indianapolis Indians game here. This post includes some tips and money-saving ideas.

Did you make any memories at the ballpark this summer?

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

Career Exploration Via Family Travel

Last Labor Day, I put together a little photo compilation of some fun and important people who work hard to make vacations and outings more fun. This year, I thought I'd show off some occupations Big Arrow has been able to try out because of our adventures.

Like a firefighter (via the Chicago Children's Museum).

Or a paleontologist (via the Children's Museum of Indianapolis).

Gas station attendant (via the Boston Children's Museum).

We even trusted him to be our boat captain during our week on Saginaw Bay in Pinconning, Michigan this summer.

As for Little Arrow, the world got a lot bigger for him this week... he started crawling. If you're wondering why I'm not blogging much, it involves vacuuming and keeping small particles out of his mouth.

Happy Labor Day! Enjoy this last blast of summer. Speaking of our trip to Pinconning, next week I'm going to write a bit about some tasty food from that area of Michigan. Check back if you love cheese!

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

Mr. Potato Head at the Children's Museum of Indianapolis

Whenever we visit my mom and dad's house, the first toy that Big Arrow digs out of their toy chest is Mr. Potato Head. Does it get any more classic or more fun for a 2-year-old? So I think I let out an audible gasp when I heard that the Children's Museum of Indianapolis was hosting the Adventures of Mr. Potato Head exhibit for a few months.

As you know if you're a regular reader of this blog, that museum is already one of my favorite places for adventure with little kids. So last week when my parents offered to watch Little Arrow for a bit, I decided checking out the exhibit would be a perfect way to spend some much-needed one-on-one time with Big Arrow.

As you enter the exhibit, you're given the chance to play with Mr. Potato Head.

They had more "accessories" than you could ever imagine. I just wanted to spend hours digging through the piles of parts!

Our finished creation. (Who needs a mouth and nose when you have a police belt?)

But playing with the toy is actually not the main feature of the gallery. It's really an opportunity to go on four different adventures with Mr. Potato Head. In one area, he's an archeologist, and you can learn to make tatoglyphs (which you can take home and show to daddy... hello free souvenir!).

In another, you board a space ship and blast off for the stars.

You can also go un an underwater adventure and a safari. We happened to visit while a little show was taking place in the Spud Studio. If you get a chance, do check it out. It helps the exhibit come to life and is really interactive. This is Big Arrow putting on his binoculars so he could *see* all the animals on the safari.

I wrote more about The Adventures of Mr. Potato Head at the Children's Museum of Indianapolis for Visit Indiana here.

And while Little Arrow missed out on the fun this time, much like Mr. Potato Head, he's holding his own head up quite well these days.

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

Amazing Maize at the Indiana State Museum

We're beginning to venture beyond the world of children's museums with our Arrows. (Don't get me wrong, we LOVE a good kid's museum, and you'll be hearing a lot more about them in the weeks to come!) The key for us so far has been to find museums that still have plenty of hands-on experiences to keep Big Arrow interested and engaged.

Amazing Maize at the Indiana State Museum not only teaches adults all about corn (its history and future, uses, industry, etc.), but keeps kids entertained with a variety of activities. I wrote about Amazing Maize for Visit Indiana here. Here are a few of Big Arrow's favorite features:

Mashing corn:

Pulling corn (to simulate the weight of a silo).

Riding tractors, both new...

... and old.

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.
Amazing Maize will be at the museum through January 20, 2013.

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.

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

Super Bowl Village: My Favorite Photos

Earlier this week, I offered up my tips for visiting the Super Bowl Village in Indianapolis with kids. I've heard from a lot of people who visited this week, and the consensus seems to be that it was such a great experience for adults and kids alike. As thousands of Giants and Patriots fans arrive over the next few days, I wanted to share a few of my favorite moments from our day:

My husband snapped this picture (he wanted me to be sure to give him photo credit). I've always loved Monument Circle because its the symbol of the city and the hub of downtown activity (and I got engaged there 9 years ago!)

Even the planters around downtown were showing the football love.

Super Dad at the Super Bowl!

A lot of people think cold weather cities don't make good Super Bowl venues. But I bet you can't watch the crew from Ice Brigade sculpt in Miami!

It was hard to get Big Arrow to pause for a picture because he was too busy having fun on the football field at Touchdown Alley.

Gotta end with the zipline. Watching people fly overhead never got old. Be sure to see my video of the zipline to get the full experience.

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

Super Bowl Village with Kids

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.

Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis

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.

• Indy offers fans big attractions, compact space from Sports Illustrated
• Game On from American Way

Enjoy the game!

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.