Boughton House

I'm interrupting my posts about our trip to Scandinavia by sharing a little fun we've been having exploring the English countryside near our home. Barely a weekend goes by that we don't go somewhere new, including our trip to Boughton House. It's one of the things that make the more difficult aspects of expat living bareable.

Hiking at Muscatatuck Wildlife Refuge

In preparation for our move to England, we haven't been doing much exploring or traveling (aside from our trip to Missouri earlier this week... I can't wait to share more about that!). There just seems to be so many tasks that need to be done around here, and we're saving as much of my husband's vacation time as we can for exploring Europe.

But a few weeks ago, I was desperate for a day out. I wanted to be reminded of how fun my kids are, away from battles over the same toy, 4 a.m. wakeups, and food being flung from high chairs. In other words, we needed a break from the day-to-day routine.

It was a sunny and unseasonably warm Saturday in early March. The hiking trail at Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge in Seymour, Indiana was calling out to us.

It's one of our favorite places. As is usually the case there, we didn't see another soul until the volunteer at the nature center greeted us. Instead, we shared the trail with sunshine reflected on lazy steams of water.

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.

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.

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.

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?

Go on a Leaf Hunt

While I spend an absurd amount of time pinning fun projects, recipes, travel ideas, etc., on Pinterest, I spend an extremely small amount of time executing fun crafts with Big Arrow. Yet I know he loves and craves special projects, what he calls "missions."

Equally as problematic for me these days is his lack of desire to sit in the stroller and go for a walk. But Little Arrow needs that quiet time spent outdoor relaxing and enjoying what remains of the reasonable, sunny weather. And so do I.

Inspired by tons of leaf-related fall projects, I challenged Big Arrow to go on a leaf hunt with me one beautiful afternoon. He was excited to have a special mission.

I was excited to enjoy this beautiful view.

And it was quite simple. Here's what you need to go on a successful Leaf Hunt:

• a pail or basket or box or container of some kind

That's it.

He happily rode in the stroller for 30 minutes while we sought out special leaves to add to our bucket. Then came the dreaded question. "Mom, what are we going to do with these leaves?"

I had nothing planned. No cool, Pinterest-worthy crafts. So I said, "Well, what do you want to do with them?"

He responded, "Let's go back home and set them free in our yard."

Pinterest, schminterest. Nothing beats the imagination of a 3-year-old.

Want to do something a little more fun with the leaves you collect? Last year we made these turkeys.

This post is a part of Travel Tips Tuesday at Suitcases and Sippy Cups / Walking on Travels. While we went on a leaf hunt around the neighborhood, you could easily go on a leaf hunt while traveling. In fact, it would be a great way to entice a stroller-averse toddler or preschooler to sit still for a bit!

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!

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?