Tag Archives: email course

Chicago’s Art Scene

In the past year or so I have written extensively about Chicago being an ideal family-friendly travel destination. From restaurants to monuments, kids’ activities to seasonal festivities, it’s hard to find a place that offers parents so many kid-friendly options than the Windy City. That being said, as I looked through my article archives I noticed that I have neglected to write about some of the city’s incredible cultural attractions. So without further adieu, here are some of my family’s favorite places to have fun and learn a few lessons in the process. Art Institute of Chicago You can’t miss … Continue reading →

More Fun Fall Activities For Families With Children

The countdown to Halloween is on (at least in our home). This weekend I noticed our local supermarket put up its “Fall Harvest” section and stocked it with pumpkins, squash, and Indian corn. However, if your family is like mine you are able to bypass these sections in the grocery store by visiting a local pumpkin patch and harvesting your own fall finds. In a previous blog I listed some of the most popular pumpkin farm/family activity areas near where we live in the Midwest. If you reside in Wisconsin, Illinois, or Indiana (or happen to be visiting these states … Continue reading →

Fun Fall Activities For Families With Children

My 3-year-old daughter can’t wait for Halloween. She is just now grasping the concept that on October 31st, knocking on someone’s door yields candy. The day we picked out her costume she said to me: “Mommy, you come with me. I ding-dong the door and get M&Ms.” Pretty much. When she’s not thinking about all the free candy she plans to haul in, she’s counting down the days until we make our annual trip(s) to various local pumpkin patches. I’ve decided to take her to more than one this year since we live in close proximity to some real winners. … Continue reading →

More Midwest Fests

In a previous blog I provided a run down of upcoming summer festivals taking place in Illinois. Of course, the granddaddy of them all is the Taste of Chicago, which gets underway tomorrow. But, if you can’t make it out for the longtime Chicago tradition or you are simply trying to avoid the massive crowds that converge on Grant Park (think 4 million people in the course of 11 days) check out these lesser known, but still extremely family friendly festivals taking place this month in and around the Land of Lincoln. Naperville Ribfest. The annual event takes place from … Continue reading →

Sunday Travel Funnies— “Don’t Worry, It’s ONLY A Safety Problem.”

How would you like to hear that upon boarding your flight and seeing nearly half the seats on your plane roped off? It’s no joke. According to news sources, the pilot of a Spanish air carrier told “nervous passengers” on his flight not to worry when they asked why all but three of the 32 rows on one side of the plane were taped off. A Spanish newspaper reports that the captain addressed the situation on the plane’s intercom system by reportedly saying: “We will not be able to use that part of the plane because we have a safety … Continue reading →

“Taste of Chicago”—The Ultimate Food Festival

It’s the one summer event I never miss. I’ve been there while I was pregnant. I was there with an infant. I go if it’s raining. I’ve even attended when the temperature hovered near 100. I’ve flown there. Walked there. Ridden an elevated train to get there. What can I say? When it comes to food I’m a die-hard. So, it is with joy… no, make that utter glee, that I make my annual pilgrimage to the “Taste of Chicago” to indulge in delicacies from alligator-on-a-stick to Pad Thai, lobster rolls, wild boar sausage, grilled chopped lime chicken salad, and … Continue reading →

Fitness For Brides

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In honor of the Going to the Chapel month over in the Marriage blog, I have been doing some exploring out there to find what I can find to help out brides to be meet their fitness goals in time for their wedding. One such place I found was entitled, appropriately enough, FAST Fitness for Brides. It’s an email course that is offered to help brides develop a fitness regimen to achieve their goals by the day of their wedding. Sign-up for the course is free, just enter your name and an email address. The first lesson is delivered straight … Continue reading →

Visiting Chicago’s Sears Tower

A recent posting the in Families.com “Family Travel” forum asked for advice regarding an upcoming vacation to Chicago. The “Family Member” had listed a few attractions her family was planning to visit (Navy Pier, Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, etc.), but she wanted to know if there were additional spots that others could recommend. I responded with my list of favorite Chicago attractions, which included Sears Tower. At 1450 feet and 110 stories high, Sears Tower is the tallest building in North America and the third tallest building in the world. I have been to the top of the Sears Tower … Continue reading →

Day Trip: Brookfield Zoo

When I was seven years old a peacock bit me. I was feeding it a piece of bread at a local zoo and it nipped my finger. Since then, the zoo has never been a place I looked forward to visiting. However, my two-year-old daughter loves animals. She knows all the words to “Old MacDonald’s Farm” and has enough stuffed animals to fill a zoo. So, for her second birthday we recently made a trip to the Brookfield Zoo. The experience has since changed my feelings about zoos… and that’s saying a lot. If you are looking for a fun … Continue reading →