April 2010

Road Trip – Looking for Americana at every stop!

Posted in Go Play Outside, Road Trip | April 29, 2010

As you know, my husband and I are on a road trip. You can read about our tips for taking road trips with your kids and keeping your kids safe on my other two Road Trip posts. We are still at the beach, and are loving it. My husband and two-year-old are down playing on the beach with a shrimp boat and dolphins in the background, while my one year old is in napping. My daughter and mother-in-law were out looking for shells first thing this morning, and my daughter found the most amazing shell. Ahhhh…I love vacation!

One of the things I like most about road trips is experiencing Americana. I love seeing the country and how other people live. Our friends and family are always asking us how we find all of our weird, quirky stops, so I thought I would write a quick article on how to find Americana (e.g.. great diners, obscure monuments, and giant statues).

Here are some of the resources we use to find fun things to break-up our drive and experience our surroundings.

Travel Section – My husband reads the travel section of the Tribune each weekend and USA Today and WSJ when he is on business travel each week. He regularly clips articles about interesting restaurants and stops, and saves them in a folder for future trips. The USA Today pointed us to the best burger in NY, The Burger Joint and the Tribune inspired our trip to the Tulip Festival in Holland, Michigan.

Books

1000 Places To See Before You Die and 1000 Places To See in the U.S.A. and Canada Before You Die – We own both of these books, and have found countless ideas for fun weekend trips and great restaurants, attractions and hotels to check out around the world. At the end of each trip, we write the date and our rating of each of the “1000 Things” places we went to. It has become a family tradition. These books make a wonderful gift too.
James Dean Died Here – This book will tell you the locations of great pulp culture landmarks. It includes everything from where Apple Computer was born to the sites of famous assassinations. We visited Richie Cunningham’s house in Los Angeles and the famous gym from the movie Carrie in Hermosa Beach, California.
Off The Beaten Path- This book has great ideas for scenic drives, etc. We’ve been on some amazing drives including Highway 1 between LA and San Francisco, Avenue of the Giants (a scenic drive through the Red Woods in Northern California) and the Blueridge Parkway in the Smokey Mountains.
The Great American Road Trip – This book has all of the amazing little Americana stops we love so much. If you want to know what city the largest ball of twine is in or where to find the giant dinosaurs from Pee Wee’s Big Adventure, this is the book for you.

The Atlas – My husband has an unusual affinity for the atlas. He regularly breaks out an atlas when we are home watching TV or when he is reading the paper. The man is just plain curious! His Atlas of choice is the Rand McNally Road Atlas. They have little red squares that are labelled with points of interest. He dragged me and hour and a half out of our way on our move/road trip from LA to Chicago to see the highest point in Iowa, Hawkeye Point. We also found The Corn Palace in Mitchelle South Dakota through the Atlas, which is honestly a gem!

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on the Food Network - My hubby and I love this show, and have visited a number of Guy Fieri’s recommendations. In fact, before embarking on this trip, my husband looked up the cities we would be in or near on his website to find some great dining options. We visited Manci’s Antique Club yesterday, and it was delicious and had some of the most interesting decor I’ve ever seen.

For us, discovering Americana is what makes the journey so fun. What types of stops does your family enjoy on road trips?

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Chicago Area Museum & Attraction Free Days This May

Posted in Go Play Inside | April 28, 2010

Looking for some FREE fun this May. Check out some of Chicago’s best museums and attractions for free!

Field Museum – May 10 (every second Monday is free)
Adler Planetarium – May 4, 11, 12, 18 & 25
Chicago Children’s Museum – Thursdays from 5-8pm the museum is free to all. Every first Sunday, 15 and under are free.
Museum of Science and Industry – May 3
Art Institute – Every Thursday from 5-8pm
Museum of Contemporary Art – Every Tuesday
Chicago History Museum – Every Monday
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum – Thursdays are suggested donation days
Lincoln Park Zoo – ALWAYS free

One thing to note is that free days generally only include general admission. If you want to see a special attraction or exhibit you normally have to pay a small fee. Also, free days tend to be crowded. A lot of neighborhood schools do field trips on free days.

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Road Trip – Baby proofing on the go!

Posted in Go Play Outside, Road Trip | April 26, 2010

As I mentioned in my last post, Road Trip – Traveling Tips From The Road, my family is currently taking a road trip from Chicago to the panhandle and back. We left Memphis yesterday and stopped in Tupelo, Mississippi to check out the house Elvis was born in. It was quite an interesting little stop, and gave our toddlers such much needed time to run around. We then made the long drive down to the beach house we rented with my in-laws in the panhandle. Today was spent playing on the beach, and it has been glorious.

Since my family does so much traveling and my kids are still so little (one and two), safety on the road is a big concern for me. I always feel like hotel rooms and vacation rental houses are full of dangers. At home, we have specific rooms baby-proofed for my toddlers, but I have yet to find a vacation home or hotel that offers “baby-proofed” rooms.

In fact, within ten minutes of getting to the house we are staying in now my two-year-old was playing with the cords to the blinds and my one-year-old had the cupboard under the sink open.

I recently attended a baby-proofing seminar at Giggle (2116 N. Halstead). Josh Berliant, owner of Baby Solutions, provided a number of really great tips on how to make your home safer. I was impressed by how many of his tips were free (did not require any products to implement). After the seminar I asked Josh to send me some tips on how to make traveling with small children safer.

Most hotels offer cribs at no charge, but Josh recommends bringing your own crib-sheet. You should also check the crib to make sure it is stable. I conquer. Numerous times we’ve been at hotels who simply wrap a queen size sheet around the tiny mattress, which has never struck me as being very safe.
Walk around the house/room and check the furniture to see that none of it can easily be tipped over if your child pulls up on it.
Keep the bathroom door closed. Just this morning our youngest some how made it into the bathroom and to the toilet before either my hubby or I could get to her. GROSS!
If you are renting a car-seat from a car rental company, make sure it is installed properly. Ask for the manual if it is not attached to the seat.
A strange environment just invites danger. Babies want to explore their new surroundings (especially while your in the bathroom or getting ready to go.) One way I’ve solved this problem is putting my little ones back in their pack-n-plays next to me while I get ready. I just throw some toys and a sippy cup in their with them, and they tend to be entertained long enough for me to get ready.

A couple other things we generally do are:

Get a handicap accessible room with two queen beds. You can generally fit a pack-n-play easily in the bathroom, which essentially turns your room into a two-room suite. Make certain the baby cannot grab anything off the counters, etc. We tend to put the crib in the shower, fold the shower curtain up over the bar and make sure there is nothing else within reach.
On the second queen bed we set up a changing station on a towel.
We bring a small container or plastic bag of Clorox wipes with us. That way we can wipe down the surfaces our baby is most likely to touch.
I would also recommend checking the drape cords. Dangling cords can be a serious strangulation hazard.

Let me know what you and your family do to keep your little ones safe on the road. Happy trails!

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Road Trip – Traveling tips from the road!

Posted in Go Play Outside, Road Trip | April 24, 2010

My husband and I love road trips, and having two toddlers has not slowed us down yet…well, maybe a little, but the important thing is we still do it! We recently embarked on our third family road trip in the last two years of over 2,000 miles (not to mention the many, shorter weekend getaways).

We left Chicago Thursday, stopped in Springfield for the day and then pushed on to St. Louis for dinner on the Hill (historic Italian neighborhood) and frozen custard at Ted Drewes, a famous Route 66 roadside stop . Day two we checked out the Arch and some other St. Louis sites and then headed to Memphis. Today we visited Graceland. Tomorrow we are off to Mobile and the beach. Woo hoo!

Traveling with children requires more planning, patience and a lot more gear. We are currently piled into our Jeep Grand Cherokee with two pack-n-plays, lots of luggage, a portable high chair, two bikes and a bike trailer. Lets just say, this baby is loaded like a giant Jenga puzzle!

I thought I would blog from the road and share what we’ve learned on past adventures and what we learn on this one.

Past Adventures:

Be patient with each other and be willing to adjust your plans. Don’t try to see as much as you used to before kids.
Joie De Vivre, find the joy in the journey. We research fun roadside stops between destinations. I can proudly say we’ve seen the Rocket Man on Route 66 in Illinois, the Paul Bunyan statue in Northern California, Boonesborough (Daniele Boone’s fort) in Kentucky and countless other pieces of Americana on our road trips.
Bring lots of snacks and drinks for you and your kids. We’ve found that a soft side cooler fits behind the center console perfectly.
Kids get carsick, so be prepared with wipes, towels/rags and water for the quick roadside cleanup. Unfortunately, we’ve suffered this fate twice, and it is messy and SMELLY. A machine washing is essential if you hope to get rid of the smell. Many hotels have washers and dryers, but if they don’t, they will likely launder the car seat cover for a fee. Another piece of advice on this one….make sure you thoroughly clean the straps/buckle of the car seat too!
We have a basket of toys, books and coloring pads between their two car seats, which they can both reach. This tends to keep them busy, but we also play a lot of “eye spy.”
We keep the DVD player as a last resort. If things start going south in the car, Cailou to the rescue. Make sure you have one with a car cigarette lighter adapter if your car does not have one installed.
Get gas before they fall asleep. Numerous times we have woken our kids up from a peaceful slumber because we were running out a gas.
If your not staying in an all suite hotel like Embassy Suites, reserve handicap accessible rooms. The bathrooms are huge. We have two kids in pack-n-plays, and can usually fit both in the bathroom (one in the shower and one near the toilet). Make sure that your toddler cannot reach the shower curtain (I usually wrap it around the rod) or anything else from their crib (towels, blow-dryer, etc.). This effectively makes your room a two-room suite without the extra charge!

This trip

One of you should check-in prior to getting the kids and luggage out of the car. We had a little issue with our room not being ready, and wrangling two TIRED toddlers and lots of luggage in the lobby was not FUN last night.
Bring a night-light. Since we usually have our kids sleep in the bathroom, it can be quite dark in there with the door closed. A night-light provides the perfect amount of light to keep them happy.
More to come…I am sure!

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Two Interesting Free Family Events This Weekend!

Posted in Go Play Inside, Go Shop | April 21, 2010

I recently learned of two interesting family friendly events happening this weekend on the North Side, and I thought I would share the details with you.

Kids in the Square – Enjoy spring in Lincoln Square this Saturday. More than 20 neighborhood businesses will open their doors and host activities, discounts and treats for the kids. A few of the most interesting include a teddy bear picnic at Timeless Toys (story time, crafts, etc.), 20% off at Piggy Toes if you wear your PJs, 35% off spring and summer kids clothes at Bellybum, 15% off kids books at the Book Cellar and bring in a plastic bottle to recycle and get 15% off at Little Green Baby.

Where – Lincoln Square
When – Saturday, April 24th from 10am-4pm
Cost – FREE

Sones de Mexico concert at Women & Children First Bookstore – Enjoy an unplugged performance by two-time Grammy-nominated Chicago musical group Sones de Mexico Ensemble, celebrating their new release, Fiesta Mexicana. Fiesta Mexicana offers something new to a generation of kids growing up in a globalized world.

Women & Children First (5233 N. Clark St.)
When – Saturday, April 24 at 10am
Cost – FREE

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Go Green – Throw a “greener” birthday party!

Posted in Go Green | April 20, 2010

As part of my Go Green Series in honor of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day this Thursday, I decided to do some research on throwing a greener birthday party. Like all parents, I’ve hosed and attended a lot of birthday parties. Along with the cake, presents and fun comes a lot of trash. This got me thinking about how I could be a greener guest and a greener host. I did some research online, and following are the best tips I found. I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas on this topic too.

Be a Greener Guest:

Gift Wrap – Wrap your present in a reuseable cloth gift bag. Check out Lucky Crow and Reusableablebags.com.
Gift Wrap – Another less expensive option is to wrap your gift in a regular reusable bag. Most stores, including Toys R Us, sell reusable bags for about a dollar. Many of them have kid friendly designs, and for only about a buck they are cheaper than a traditional gift bag. No only that, but the receiver and use it again. Check out Toys R Us’s selection for $1.49 and the dollar section at Target.. I found small butterfly cloth bags in the dollar section yesterday.
Present – Bring a green toy. A number of Chicago retailers carry a great selection of eco-friendly toys including Green Genes (5111 N. Clark), Building Blocks (3306 N. Lincoln Ave. & 2130 W.Division), Bullfrogs & Butterflies (2124 W. Division), Timeless Toys (4749 N. Lincoln Ave.), and Little Green Baby (4654 N. Rockwell St.). Mightynest.com is locally owned and also carries a great selection. Don’t forget to think out of the box too. I have given stainless steel water bottles a few times this year. They are a great gift for the two year old crowd.
Present – Give an experiential birthday present. Chicago and the surround burbs have a plethora of activities to choose from. Give tickets to the movies, a gift certificate to go bowling or even a gift certificate to Make-a-Messterpiece or one of the children’s museums in Chicago, Glenview or DuPage. Better yet, offer to take the child yourself. This way you are being green, and giving your friend or family member an afternoon off!
Present – Give a recycled gift. My sister gave me a great baby hiking backpack she bought on eBay for my baby shower. It was in perfect condition, and was within her budget. Craig’s List is also a great place to find gently used toys. Given the savings, you can often times afford to give something better and bigger than you could if you bought new.

Host a Green Party:

Invitations – One simple way to green your invitations is to use ones printed on recycle paper.
Invitations – Another more unique option is to use invitations that are actually seeds. Check out Of The Earth flower seed paper.
Invitations – Save time, money and paper by using an Evite.
Party Favors – Put your party favors in re-useable bags. A friend found small, child appropriate reusable bags in the dollar section at Target for her daughter’s favors.
Party Favors – Instead of small, plastic toys; give a book or take home craft. The dollar section at Target often times has books and a friend of mine found Curious George books on Overstock.com for $2 each. Joann Fabrics has a great selection of small, kid friendly crafts kits.
Supplies and decorations – Using re-useable dishes, utensils, napkins and table cloths is a green option, but if your need for convenience outweighs your desire to be green on this one, opt for eco-friendly paper goods. Check out Preserve Plateware and GreenPartyGoods.com.
Food – Avoid individual juice boxes and water bottles. Use pitchers and individual reusable glasses instead. Why not make stainless steel water bottles your favor, and then have the kids and adults use their favor during the party. You can get kid size stainless steel bottles at Old Navy for $5.
Trash – Have a large, well marked recycling bin at the party.

Resources – If you want more tips and resouces, here are a couple of the articles I read on this topic.

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Dance with me toddler!

Posted in Go Learn | April 19, 2010

This morning I visited Bellybum Boutique , and attended their Dance With Me Toddler class. If your toddler loves to dance, they will love this class. The instructor, Malik, has an eclectic mix of music and props to get your little one’s and your booty shaking. Between jingling hip scarves and maracas, everyone was wiggling and giggling around the room. The kids were having a great time, and us moms were burning some serious calories. It took a little while for my two year old to warm up, but once she felt comfortable, she was jumping around the room with a big smile on her face. My one year old was ready to bounce and dance as soon as the music started, and I had to pry the maraca out of her hands at the end.

It was great to find a class that was appropriate for both of my girls. With a one and two year old, I have a hard time finding classes we can all attend together. Bellybum even offers a sibling discount, which us mom’s of two always appreciate. I also loved that they allow drop-ins. I always like to try out a class before I purchase a series.

Dance With Me Toddler Details:

Where – Bellybum Boutique (4347 N. Lincoln Ave.) is a cute little boutique in North Center that carries maternity clothes, transition wear, kids clothes and some baby gear. They have a back room where they hold a number of classes and seminars. Click here for their monthly event’s calendar.
When – Mondays at 10-10:45
Cost – $18 (siblings $13)
Tips – Drop-ins are welcome, just call ahead to make sure they are not at capacity.

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Hurray for the Urban Family!

Posted in Go Eat, Go Play Outside | April 18, 2010

I was out running errands today, and ended our chores with a trip to Chipolte. Chipolte is one of my favorite “fast food” restaurants, and it is a great option with kids too. They have lots of highchairs and offer $1 kids quesadillas (what a deal)! I walked into the Chipolte on Clybourn, and was pleasantly surprised to see so many families. Out of the 20 tables, only 5 did not have kids sitting at them. If I did not know better, I would have thought I was in the burbs with all the kids around.

I love living in the city with my kids, especially this time of year. I love that I can go an entire week and not get in my car. I love that I can walk to the FREE zoo or check out a new park (there has to be 20 within walking distance of my house). On Thursday the girls and I walked from our Lakeview home to Bucktown. We checked out a new park, did a bit of shopping (Psycho Baby and Red Balloon) and had lunch (Toast). All and all I pushed my stroller about 5 miles, so I squeezed in my workout too.

On the way home, all I could think was how lucky I was that I live in Chicago! Seeing so many other families enjoying Chicago today made me smile. People think that you sacrifice a sense of community living in a big city. I for one do not agree!

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Go Green – Resale Maternity & Kids Clothing Stores in Chicago

Posted in Go Green, Go Shop | April 15, 2010

Check out my other Go Green posts: Chicago Area Earth Day Celebrations, Where to buy used children’s’ books and Do you want to be greener on the go?

As part of my Go Green series, I did a bit of research on resale shops that sell maternity and kids clothes. Not only can you find some high-end designer kids clothes for a fraction of the cost (I found 2T Lucky Jeans for less than $10), you can also make a buck or two selling your old maternity and kids clothes.

I recommend calling the stores prior to brining in any clothes you hope to sell. They usually purchase clothes by season, and sometimes are only excepting specific sizes. If you plan to sell them furniture or gear (strollers, etc.), I recommend checking Craig’s List first to ensure you are not getting significantly less than you could sell them for privately.

Many of the stores also keep lists of wanted items. For example, I was looking for a Maclaren umbrealla stroller last summer. Once Upon A Child took my name and number, and called me about a month later when one came in.

I wanted to provide a complete listing of Chicago resale shops, so I utilized the descriptions from their websites for the stores I have not visited.

Kids Clothes

The Second Child (954 W. Armitage Ave.) - Second Child is an upscale children’s and maternity wear resale boutique. They regularly have designer children’s clothes by Oilily, Jacadi, Cakewalk, Lilly Pulitzer, and Baby Lulu. I’ve visited this boutique a couple of times, and found some really cute stuff for my girls. They also carry some baby gear.
Pish Posh (3950 N. Southport Ave.) – Pish Posh carries certified pre-owned children’s clothing and accessories. If you are looking for something special or if you have something special you would like to consign, you’ve found the right place.
Jordan’s Closet (106 E. 51st St.) - Jordan’s Closets is a resale boutique that caters to little girls newborn to size 16. They carry lovingly cared for clothing, accessories, shoes, and outerwear. Their clothing is freshly laundered and carefully inspected to insure to that they are free from stains rips or excessive fading. They offer brand name clothing such as Carter’s, Osh Kosh B’Gosh, The Children’s Place, Guess, Little Me, Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger just to name a few.
All New To Me (4546 N. Western Ave.) – This store recently opened in the old Thrifty Baby location. I have not visited it yet, but have read some favorable reviews. They do not have a website, so I could not include a description.
Once Upon A Child (7246 W. Foster Ave., plus multiple suburban locations) -They buy and sell gently used clothes, furniture, equipment and more. Once Upon A Child carries all of the fashionable brands-new and gently used Tyco, Baby Gap, Graco and more. I have sold and purchased clothes at this location. I’ve found some great deals on clothes (Lucky Jeans, Ralph Lauren dress, gap shirt, etc.), but was disappointed with what they offered me for an umbrella stroller I was selling.
My Sister’s Closet (5413 W. Devon Ave.) -My Sister’s Closet carries women’s, some men’s, children’s and a small selection of maternity clothes. They also carry books, toys and shoes.

Maternity

The Second Child (954 W. Armitage Ave.) - Second Child is an upscale children’s and maternity wear resale boutique. Their inventory of maternity clothing is carefully selected to ensure that the styles are current and the condition is excellent. You’ll find everything from casual to business to black tie apparel. Inventory can include Citizens for Humanity, Michael Stars, Japanese Weekend, 3dot and Mimi.
McShane’s Exchange (815 W. Armitage Ave.) - Since 1988, McShane’s Exchange has set the stage with their premier shops in Lincoln Park. “If You Can’t Afford Your Own Designer Wardrobe, Buy Someone Else’s.” There’s a certain sophistication that comes with a $1,800 Armani Jacket. But if you can’t (or simply won’t) part with that kind of money, McShane’s is the boutique you’re looking for.
My Sister’s Closet (5413 W. Devon Ave.) -My Sister’s Closet carries women’s, some men’s, children’s and a small selection of maternity clothes. They also carry books, toys and shoes.

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Go Green – Chicago Area Earth Day Activities!

Posted in Go Green, Holiday/Seasonal | April 14, 2010

As part of my Go Green series in honor of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22nd, I’ve compiled a list of family friendly Earth Day events happening around Chicago this month. Like all special events and holidays, there is no shortage of fun things to do with your kids to help celebrate the Earth and inspire them to preserve it. I’ve listed events by date and then by cost (FREE first). I also listed some further afield activities that looked like they would be worth the drive.

Check out my other Go Green posts, Where to buy used Children’s books in Chicago and Do you want to be “greener” on the go?

Earth Day in the Parks – Celebrate Earth Day by cleaning up our parks and learning more about our planet and its resources. Join in with a couple hundred volunteers to celebrate Earth Day at various park locations throughout the city.

Where – More than 75 parks and preserves. Click here for a complete list.
When – Saturday, April 17 from 9am-noon
Cost – FREE

Irish American Heritage Center’s Green Family Festival – The festival will feature experts, celebrity chefs, demonstrations and exhibitors all focused on the importance of raising children in a balanced, holistic way. The day will be filled with entertainment, live music, family activities and food.

Where – Irish American Heritage Center (4626 N. Knox)
When – April 17 10am-6pm and April 18 10am-5pm
Cost – FREE

Eco Expo/Earth Day Celebration - Want to make your life a little greener? Want your family to learn more about recycling, energy efficiency and organic foods? Join ChicaGO Green at Lincoln Park Zoo to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. This free event will feature fun activities for kids and information for everyone about carbon footprints and solar power.

Where – Lincoln Park Zoo (2200 N. Cannon Dr.)
When – April 17 & 18 at 10am – 5pm
Cost - FREE

Celebrate the Earth with Lakeshore Learning Store – Hands-on activities, crafts and plant our own flower seed. Plus, buy one get one at 50% off sale.

Where – Lakeshore Learning Store (2255 W. 95th St.)
When – April 17 from 11am-3pm
Cost – FREE

North Lake Shore Community Earth Day 2010 - Join in the various workshops, presentations and panels and hear about neighborhood food policy, making stock from vegetable scraps, making your own baby food, and learning the basics of edible landscaping. Children will have fun as they learn about seed planting, nature’s creatures, eating organic, yoga, collaging and composting and a full day of additional activities at State Representative Harry Osterman’s Kid’s Corner.

Where – Layola University, Quinlan Life Science Building (1050 W. Sheridan Rd.)
When – April 17 from 9am-4:30pm
Cost – FREE

Lurie Garden Family Workshop: Re-Purpose Planters – Learn how to turn a Ziploc bag, pop bottle and newspaper into a fun and functional planter. Then add seeds to make your own home garden.

Where – Chicago Cultural Center (78 E. Washington St.)
When – April 17 from 2-4pm
Cost – FREE, Advance registration required.

Super Family Earth Day Dance Party at Eugene Park - Bring your kids under five for music, Earth Day-themed crafts and exhibits, and face painting.

Where – Eugene Field Park Field-house (5100 N. Ridgeway)
When – April 17 from 3-4:30pm
Cost – $5 per family

Celebrate Earth Day with Miss Candy at Walker Library – Join our Earth Day celebration with folksinger Candy Heitner. Families with young children will have fun singing and playing interactive musical games about our earth and how we care for it. All participants will make a colorful rainbow while sharing with each other the things they love about our earth.

Where – Walker Library (11071 S. Hoyne Ave.)
When – April 20 at 6:30pm
Cost – FREE, call to register – 312.747.1920

Celebrate Earth Day at The Beverly Library - Earth Day stories and activities

Where – Beverly Library (1962 W. 95th St.)
When – April 21 from 3:30-4:30pm
Cost – FREE

Earth Day, Our Way – Children’s Potting Workshop – Let kids get their hands dirty while having some good, clean fun. They’ll help spread the gardening bug to your budding botanist!

Where – Anthropologie (3532 N. Southport Ave.)
When – April 22 from 10am-12pm
Cost – FREE, reservations suggested 773.935.2693

Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day at Chicago Lawn Library – Listen to stories and songs about the Earth. Each child will start their own plant to take home.

Where – Chicago Lawn Library (6120 S. Kedzie Ave.)
When – April 22 from 6-7pm
Cost – FREE, to register call 312-747-0639

Celebrate Earth Day with Miss Candy at Mount Greenwood Library - Join our Earth Day celebration with folksinger Candy Heitner. Families with young children will have fun singing and playing interactive musical games about our earth and how we care for it. All participants will make a colorful rainbow while sharing with each other the things they love about our earth.

Where – Mount Greenwood Library (11010 S. Kedzie Ave.)
When – April 22 at 3:30pm
Cost – FREE, call the library to register

Kids in Action: Earth Day, Every Day – With this “Kids in Action” interactive program, you can celebrate Earth Day 2010 with Sue Black, Queen of Green Tales, and learn to teach Melbourne and others how to share and make this Earth a better place for everyone every day. For children ages 4 to 10 years old.

When – Harold Washington Library Center Children’s Program Room (400 S. State St.)
When – April 22 at 11am
Cost – FREE

Earth Day Celebration at Pottery Barn – Earth-friendly giveaways, activities and storytime througout the day.

Where – Pottery Barn Kids (2111 N. Clybourn Ave.)
When – April 22 at 11am and 3pm
Cost – FREE

Celebrate Earth Day at the Notebaert Nature Museum

Where – Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum (2430 N. Cannon Dr.)
When – April 22 from 9am-4:30pm
Cost – Free with admission (adults $9, children $6, under 3 free)

Green Sprouts Earth Day Family Workshop – Bring your toddler for this hands-on green workshop for both baby and parent. While your toddler enjoys story time with local author, Jennifer Murphy, join the other parents for an informative workshop on making natural body products for your baby, lead by local green expert Eleanor Riley.

Where – Greenheart Shop (1911 W. Division)
When – April 22 from 10-11am
Cost – $15 per parent, RSVP at info@greenheartshop.org or call 312-264-1625.

Green & Growing Fair – Kick off the growing season, and celebrate Earth Day, at the 18th Annual Green & Growing Fair at the Garfield Park Conservatory. This urban gardening fair plunges into spring by hosting a variety of vendors, workshops, demonstrations, and family activities to get your rusty green thumb up and running. Family take-home planting activities, such as rot pot seed starting activities, and grow a pizza garden! Live music in the Green Cafe.

Where – Garfield Park Conservatory (300 N. Central Park Ave.)
When – April 24 from 10am-3pm
Cost – FREE

Chicago 5K for Earth Day/Green Living Expo – Family friendly 5k run/walk, the race will culminate at the Humboldt Park boat house with a free Green Living Expo. All runners, walkers, and their families are envited to the green living expo and farmers market steps from the finish line. The expo will include various health and environmental organizations as well as local farmers with organic produce.

Where – Humbolt Park Boat House (14oo N. Sacramento)
When – April 24 at 8am
Cost – $35 adult, $20 youth, kids under 10 are FREE

Earth Day Story Time at REI - Join REI and guest Author Helen Foster James for a wonderful eco-conscious story time to celebrate earth week! Event is located upstairs on our second floor. A big tent will be set up for the kids to play in!

Where – REI (1466 N. Halstead St.)
When – April 25 from 1-2:15pm
Cost – FREE

FURTHER AFIELD

Celebrate the Earth with McHenry County Conservation District -Event includes special performance by Green E , the environmental Elvis; Square Drum Circle and Off Square Music. Your family can also enjoy a guided nature hike, puppet show, games and crafts.

Where – Prairieview Education Center (18140 US Highway 14, Woodstock)
When – April 17 from 11am-4pm
Cost - FREE

Heritage Prairie Farm Earth Day Dinner - Earth Dinner is a new way for family and friends to come together to appreciate the remarkable role food plays in our lives, in our family histories, and on our planet. Heritage Prairie Farm’s Earth Day Farm Dinner is intended to connect people to the earth, their food, and each other. Bring the kids! We will be offering free babysitting in the farmhouse. Kids can watch a movie, play games & have a kid-friendly dinner!

Where – Heritage Prairie Farm (2N308 Brundige Rd., Elburn)
When – April 23 at 6pm
Cost – $65 per person and can be purchased online, or call 630-443-8253.

Olmstead Nature Shack Earth Day Celebration - Connect with nature at this wonderful and wild event. Camp under the stars, catch and release fish, frogs and insects, climb a tree, plant a flower, play in the mud. There will be cold blooded reptiles to see and touch. Dress for a mess. You have had a good time if you come home dirty.

Where - Olmstead Nature Shack (920 Cypress Lane, Elk Grove)
When – April 24 from 1-4pm
Cost - FREE

Morton Arboretum Earth Day Necklaces & Substainable with Style - Celebrate Earth Day by making a mini greenhouse inside a necklace and get ideas on how to live a green lifestyle with a showcase of eco-friendly products and services, from landscape architecture to eco-fashion to cleaning products. Event also includes free garden lectures from local vendors.

Where – Morton Arboretum 4100 Illinois Route 53, Lisle (Necklaces -Children’s Garden, boutique Visitor Center)
When – April 24 & 25 from 11am-4pm
Cost – Free with admission (adults $11, kids $8, under two FREE)

Party for the Planet featuring the ChicaGO Green Expo - The Chicago Zoological Society’s mission is to inspire conservation leadership by connecting people with wildlife and nature, and what better way to do this than at Brookfield Zoo’s Earth Day extravaganza! Celebrating the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, the event will have everyone thinking “green” with Earth-themed activities.

Where – Brookfield Zoo (8400 31st St., Brookfield)
When – May 1 & 2 10am-5pm
Cost – Zoo Admission (Adults $13.50, Children $9.50, parking $9)

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Why do they call them an outlet when the prices are not lower?

Posted in Go Shop | April 13, 2010

Can someone please explain to be the concept behind outlets these days?

I rarely rant, but today is going to be an exception. I am totally baffled by the retail industries use of the word “outlet.” Years ago an outlet meant outlet. You could find last season’s merchandise, overstock and some slightly damaged (color not perfect, missing button, scratched) merchandise at REAL discounts. It seems like most outlets these days are not really outlets at all. Some companies (Gap, J.Crew, Etc.) actually make an entire line of clothes just for their MANY outlet stores.

I recently visited the Chicago Premium Outlets in Aurora. I have to say, I was not impressed. At the majority of the stores I visited, the prices were no better than what you would find in a department store. The Sketcher’s Outlet was offering toddler Sketcher’s for the EXACT same price as Nordstrom. How can you call yourself an outlet, and have the same prices as other stores or even your mall stores? I did find a few deals after a lot of digging and searching including a pair of Converse Chuck Taylor sneakers for $9.95, but all and all the deals were few and far between and definitely not worth the drive.

Yesterday I tried out the Sketcher’s Outlet on North Avenue (Corner of North and Cicero). Maybe my expectations are too high, but I was again very disappointed. Their selection of toddler shoes was quite small, and the prices were, again, the EXACT same as Nordstrom’s prices. In all fairness, they were having a buy one get one half off sale, but because of their tiny selection I could not find two pairs of shoes I really wanted to buy.

When it comes to finding good deals on name brand toddler sneakers, I would still recommend Nordstrom Rack and the Nordstrom’s sale section of their website. Read my review on Nordstrom’s from a few months ago, Check out Nordstrom Rack for amazing deals on kids clothes and shoes!

I am always looking for a deal, so let me know if you have any cool finds for toddler shoes.

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Two great kids concerts this weekend in Chicago!

Posted in Go Play Inside | April 9, 2010

Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Check out one of these two great family friendly concerts.

Schubas Family Concert Series is welcoming The Verve Pipe this Saturday. After being approached to submit a song for a compilation album called “Calling All Kids,” The Verve Pipe found that the creative sessions yielded far more than just the one track. This led to an idea of a complete album of family friendly songs, and the CD was born.

Where – Schubas (3159 N. Southport)
When – Saturday, April 10 at 11:00am
Cost – $10 per person (kids under 3 get in free)
Tip – Stop by our Harmony Grill on the day of your show to receive a free Mini Mac ‘n’ Cheese with advance ticket purchase. Limit one per table.

The Beat Kitchen is presenting Karen 4 Kids this Sunday as part of their weekly Concerts for Kids Series. Karen Banks-Lubicz is a singer/songwriter/teacher. Her energetic folk/rock style lends to great music for young children and their families.

Where – Beat Kitchen (2100 Belmont)
When – Sunday, April 11 at 12:00pm
Cost – $5 per person
Tip – Get there early to enjoy a yummy brunch. Stay late for a free craft with Unicoi Art Studio.

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Go Green – Where to buy used Children’s books in Chicago

Posted in Go Green, Go Shop | April 7, 2010

In honor of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, April 22nd, I thought I would expand on my blog post “Do you want to be greener On The Go?“ by creating a series of articles on how to be a bit greener. As I mentioned in my previous post, I would by no means consider my household to be “green,” but I am committed to making incremental changes in my lifestyle to reduce my “Shaq” size green foot print to something I am less embarrassed by and could actually stand “in” proudly!

First on my list is used books! Used books are not only a lot greener, but they are also a lot cheaper! Like most children, my kids LOVE books. To my chagrin, they tend to like to read the same books over and over again. In an attempt to maintain some level of sanity, I try to introduce a new book to the rotation as often as possible.

We love our local Chicago Public Library branch, but have found that my one and two year old are just a bit too hard on books for me to borrow them in good conscience! This led me to do some research on used bookstores. To my surprise, a number of the Chicago area used bookstores carry children’s books.

Following is a list of Chicago area used bookstores that have a substantial number of children’s books (more than a couple shelves):

Open Books is a nonprofit social venture that operates an extraordinary bookstore, provides community programs, and mobilizes passionate volunteers to promote literacy in Chicago and beyond. They have a huge selection of children’s books (over 10,000 at the moment). Plus, the money raised from selling books goes towards their literacy programs.

Location – 213 W. Institute Pl.
Phone – 312.475.1355
Neighborhood – Near North Side
Events – weekly storytime, monthly puppet show and craft nights

Ravenswood Used Books is a full service used book store with thousands of fine titles packed into an intimate space. They carry books in nearly every category, including children’s. They buy or trade for store credit.

Location – 4626 N. Lincoln Ave.
Phone – 773.593.9166
Neighborhood – Ravenswood/Lincoln Square

Myopic Books is one of Chicago’s oldest and largest used bookstores. They have three floors full of books, an amount totaling over 80,000 editions. They carry sections such as fiction, art, architecture, music, film, philosophy, science, religion, psychology, literary criticism, mythology, children’s, cooking, sci-fi, biography and local history/interest… and many more.

Location – 1564 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Phone – 773.862.4882
Neighborhood – Wicker Park

After-Words has shelves upon shelves stocked with current fiction and nonfiction; as well as used books at a substantial discount. The store searches for obscure and out-of-print books upon request and buys used books from customers, offering cash or store credit in exchange.

Location – 23 E. Illinois St.
Phone – 312.464.1110
Neighborhood – Near North Side

Booklegger’s Used Books has over 10,000 used books in stock on all subjects (including children’s), plus CDs, cassettes, books on cassette and videos.

Location – 2907 N. Broadway St.
Phone – 773.404.8780
Neighborhood – Lakeview

Bookworks offers quality, hardbacks & paperbacks (including children’s books), select new titles and out of print and rare books. Hard to locate and antiquarian items always part of our extensive stock. They also sell used and rare records and CDs with a selection especially strong in jazz, blues and classical music. Other unusual offerings include vintage paperbacks, old paper items and antique photographs.

Location – 3444 N. Clark St.
Phone – 773.871.5318
Neighborhood – Lakeview

Powell’s Bookstore specializes in quality used, rare, and discounted books, primarily academic and scholarly. They are particularly strong in medieval studies and classics, philosophy and books on books, but they also carry many other subjects including children’s books.

Location – 1501 E. 57th St.
Phone – 773.955.7780
Neighborhood – Hyde Park

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On The Go Chicago

A mom and two kids on the go in Chicago!

April 2010

Road Trip – Looking for Americana at every stop!

Chicago Area Museum & Attraction Free Days This May

Road Trip – Baby proofing on the go!

Road Trip – Traveling tips from the road!

Two Interesting Free Family Events This Weekend!

Go Green – Throw a “greener” birthday party!

Dance with me toddler!

Hurray for the Urban Family!

Go Green – Resale Maternity & Kids Clothing Stores in Chicago

Go Green – Chicago Area Earth Day Activities!

Why do they call them an outlet when the prices are not lower?

Two great kids concerts this weekend in Chicago!

Go Green – Where to buy used Children’s books in Chicago

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