Summer Bucket List: New Parks, Bowen Park Waukegan Il. Week 7 2015

Summer - week 7 > > After visiting Il. Beach state park, we made a pit stop at Bowen Park in Waukegan. We spent the entire day collecting rocks, playing in the water, snacking and playing. It was empty, with only a few other people on the beach. We like walking thru the nature center to access the beach, quiet, natural, and beautiful. > > As for the park, its off route 137 and It.Is.Huge!!! There is a map of all the activities, including this spinning cage, a 2-story climbing spider web, sprinkler, and so much more. My daughter loved the 2-stories to climb up for the slides. They are fast and fun. > > Monkey bars, surfboard swings, really so much more. The kids had a blast!! 

Make Mistakes, breathe, reflect and Laugh.Out.Loud.

Going for a Walk, Again, and Again, and Again...

When my older son was born we went for walks every single day, sometimes even twice a day. Regardless if it was the warmest, sunniest day or the chilliest winter in Chicago, every single day we walked again and again and again.

Update: January 2015

Snowstorm "Lucas" dropped over 19 inches of snow on the Chicagoland area. We were flying back home from Las Vegas that day and we were one of the last flights into O'Hare airport. It's now two weeks later in a beautiful 28° day in Chicago, nearly 10 inches of that snow has melted. So baby girl and I are going for our daily walk. As you can see we still have about a foot of snow.

Back to the Original Post: 2014

My grandmother, his great-grandmother's age old advice, baby should get fresh air every day, and get a little bit of red in their cheeks, that makes for a healthy happy child. And I continue that philosophy even till now, a whole nine years later with my younger son and baby girl.

I'll have to admit, it is nine years later, and we own a home and I have three children and I feel like there's lots more to do. We're also continuing some renovations in our basement and kitchen, so walking every day I'll admit is no longer my priority. However that doesn't mean it's not just as important as it was nearly a decade ago.

Taking a walk is such a simple thing, and I know moms can often feel overwhelmed when they see these great ideas from their friends on Facebook and Twitter doing crafts and activities with their kids. But honestly the best activity that I could've ever done with my children is the simple act of taking a walk.

It doesn't matter when, in the morning, in the afternoon, going to a nearby park, or even an after dinner stroll which is another frequent activity of ours. Walking is just one of those excellent activities because you can be completely engaged with your child. Talking about the changing colors of the trees and the leaves, I'm inspired because it's fall now. Or even in the winter time looking at the snow, throwing snowballs, enjoying the chill in the air, and then of course there's the nature fact even though we live in an urban area of Chicago, there is nature all around us. We listen to the squirrel squeak at each other or the birds chirping trying to identify the call of Blue Jays or Robins.

I had the benefit of starting early with my kids, and I've heard some of my neighbors say they think it's not that we walk around so often, that "their kids" would never want to do something as boring as taking a walk. So if you can start them early, otherwise try and engage your kids in simple acts on the walk, like see how many different colors we can find, how many shades of green there are, how many animals we can find, ooh - what's that sound you hear. As for the older ones try to position it as you-and-me time. I want to head about your day! it's just a way of connecting with them and you listening (i phone left at home for a whole 20 minutes) and not talking.

The other thing I love about walks, is it has built in education and concepts that all her kids need to learn. Clothing that's appropriate for the weather, reminders for moms and dads when we should wear hats gloves and scarves, when do we wear our snowboots versus our boots for fall. Gym shoes or crocs today? Did you remember to go potty before you left the house? Do you have socks on? All things we need to consider and teach our kids, at any age.

So I've been lazy, it's Halloween and there's lots of decorating and pumpkin carving, and we haven't been doing our double walks every day. After lunch I would usually take a stroll with baby girl before her nap, because all the fresh air makes for a well deserved nap that is nice and long. However we of course walk every day to go pick up the boys from school. Older son and younger son are now in a full day program at school which just leaves me time with her. And maybe that's where the laziness sets in? Being Taipei isn't easy. When I'm not overloaded with work, I also feel ironically unmotivated. I know isn't that silly? When I'm not tempting to all three of the children, I feel like I'm being lazy which then turned out to be true laziness because I don't do much.  (I know, its like an illness, my version of don't do much, is not the version of most people's time too much, I admit it.)

Today is a vest day in Chicago. It's a nippy 48°, with a high of 55. Tomorrow is Halloween October 31, 2014. And I'm taking a walk with my baby girl.




Make mistakes. Breathe, reflect and Laugh.Out.Loud

A Birthday Treasure Hunt

My big boy is has just turned 8 years old. I didn't know what I was going to get him, but I always have the best of "last minute luck." I get an idea in my head and BOOM there it is, I'll see the potential for what I need to make my idea happen. Mostly out of the box thinking. But I believe we can train our minds to be more open to seeing the potential in things. Below you'll see my spontaneous treasure  hunt map. It was a great addition to his birthday experience, but really, you can have a treasure hunt for a bag of candy for NO Reason on an Any Day of the week

We were at the Salvation Army in Indiana and I found this kids trampoline for $9.99. I didn't want the large ones in our yard because, well there HUGE. My uncle has one at our former house and its a pain to work around. Don't get me wrong, if you don't have a garden to manage (front and back), our kids activities and supervision, a dog to collect poop everyday, and picking your seasonal harvest of red currants, cherry tomatoes, pumpkins and  have I mentioned weeding all season! Well, I do enough and the headache of a big trampoline - no thanks.

But this little beauty is small enough for baby girl yet enticing enough for my 8 year old.

That's it hidden under the blanket I always keep in the trunk. My son was with me in the car when I picked it up.

I also picked up this card - sitting on a shelf into clear view. How awesome. I knew instantly I'd make a "treasure map" with clues for m son to hunt down his new gift.

So the next morning while I was making breakfast I made a instant treasure map. First using two color if pen and later highlighting areas in a third color. I usually don't use more then 3 colors on anything because it'll look too busy.

This is a map of my moms property in Indiana where we celebrated my sons birthday. He chose "an experience" this year instead of a party. The experience was spending 4 days at my moms, having ice cream everyday and going to the beach, alot!!

I also had a "clue keeping" page for

My young son to help in the adventure.

My older son stopped to take Notes of the clue hints, the other two tagged along.

When they found the trampoline there was some fuss, but birthday boy went first and the other two waited (fairly patiently) for their turns.

Notice were all barefoot fairly quickly.

The days are long, the years are short, enjoy every moment NOW.

Summer Bucket List 2013 (with Chicagoland Area Web Page Links)

After finding lots of great ideas on Pinterest, and creating a MUST DO board for the kids, we finally sat down and wrote our Summer Bucket List. We did a lot of impromptu stuff this summer too - like the Waukegan Library Book Sale a friend posted about on Facebook. Instead of paying .50 cents per kids book and $1 for adults, I got a Big Red Bag of books for $5.

We did put the effort into actually writing out a Summer Bucket List and I like Sharing. At the end of this post is an update with a list of what we actually did, things not on the list, and moms tasks in addition to the list. We didn't craft nearly as much as we usually do either, because we were outside nearly EVERYDAY!!

2013, oUR family summer bucket list

       GO PLACES

□     BEACH!!                                           □     Go to the park (A LOT!!)

□     Water Park (A LOT!!!)                    □     Go bowling

□     Nature hunt (s)                                  □     Alphabet Scavenger hunt

□     Shapes Scavenger Hunt                    □     Have a picnic

□     See movie at a drive in                       □     Santa’s Village

□     Go to A Farm (Glenview)                  □     Wild West Town

□     Museum Days 

AT NIGHT

□        Catch fire flies                                  □        Use the Telescope in the Yard

□        Roast Marshmallows

COLLECT

□     Collect Bottle Caps to make an end of summer Mosaic

□     Bugs, Rocks, Feathers, and …

AT HOME OUTDOORS

□     !! Make JAPAN Paper Ring Chain Countdown !!

□     Grill dinner once a week                 □     Make recycled water pouring wall (pinterest)

□     Make Giant Ice Cube filled with plastic toys to CHIP APART

□     Roast Marshmallows                       □     Blow bubbles (Bubble Station)

□     Eat ice cream and popcorn for dinner

□     Outdoor Alphabet hunt                  □     Exploding Paint – make ART BOMBS

□     Make Bird Bath Mosaic                  □     Block Party

RAINY DAYS

□     Make Stained Glass: Draw Sharpie on wax paper looks like stained glass

□     Build a fort                                       □     Balloon Ninjas to shoot with Nerf Guns

□     Make Hands/Foot Paint Animals    

□     Make Hotwheels race track with drawn race course and tube

□     Make Jet packs from Soda Bottles  

□     Make GEO BOARD (Pegboard w rubber bands)

□     Bake Cookies!!!                                □     Make Fingerprint Ornmnt

□     Move Chalk board to kitchen (Keep family menus on)

□     Paint pebbles/rocks with glow in the dark paint to line the garden/walkway

□     Make MOONSAND                      □     Indoor ALPHABET HUNT

□     Make VOLCANO ERUPTIONS  

□     Make the Outdoor TIC TAC TOE from rocks and wood

□     IVORY SNOW Cloud                   □     Wii, & iPad 

*** UPDATE *** UPDATE *** UPDATE *** UPDATE *** UPDATE *** 

BEACH

We went to the beach a lot. While my mom had the kids during our trip to Japan. They were at the beach nearly every day, sometimes 2x a day. 

ü  Loyola Beach

ü  Indiana Dunes

ü  Boogie Boards at Waukegan Beach

ü  Loyola Beach with our Cousins

GO PLACES

ü  Go to Parks –  a different park each Wednesday with our Cousins (splash pads, climbing gyms), our neighborhood park and surrounding parks, bicycling to the school park, and with Uncle Bogie.

ü  Water Park – only 1x because it was such a cool summer. But we did slip and slide with our neighborhood friends and in the yard. We also had a splash water fight with Dja Dja in his yard.

ü  Nature Hunt – when we were at the Nature Center with our Cousins we did this nature hunt. Totally Fun!  While at the Spring Valley Schaumburg Nature Center (so awesome, includes a ½ hour walk to a mini farm) our cousins granola bar was stolen by a Chicken there.

ü  Have a picnic – everywhere we go for a DAY outing I pack our (found in the alley) California Wheel Cooler with food and we picnic.

ü  Kohl’s Children’s Museum – purchased at 50% off with Travelzoo.com, great deal. Paid $19.50 for two instead of per person.

ü  Roast Marshmallows – with our Tia

ü  Brookfield Zoo and Lincoln Park Zoo (and picnic’s)

ü  2 weeks with Baba – went to Fair Oaks Dairy Farm, saw pigs and cows galore

ü  Glenview Wagner Farm – love this place.

COLLECT

ü  Bugs. We collect dead bugs and pin them. I collected Bugs in Japan and at home.

ü  Rocks at the beach and everywhere else.

AT HOME / OUTDOORS

ü  Make Japan Paper Ring Countdown Chain – read about it.

ü  Make GIANT ICE CUBE PICKER – filled with toys and rocks for the kids to destroy. From Pinterest

ü  Bubble Station – from Pinterest

ü  Build a fort – on rainy days.

ü  Make Hand and Foot Print animals – for fathers day – here’s the result.

ü  Played Wii – only 2x

We did one 2 crafts this summer, the Japan Countdown chain and Telescopes from Toilet Paper Tubes.

Not on the List

ü  On the FIRST DAY OF SUMMER we went to our local library. And to my pleasant surprise they had started the book club THAT DAY. So we joined up….Library Book Club – we joined our library’s book club. We read EVERYDAY this summer, alone, to eachother, and at night time! I AM PROUDEST OF READING EVERYDAY THIS SUMMER!!!

ü  Lake County Fair with Dad

ü  Bike Riding with mom and dad in the Forest, using the bike attachment for Baby boy and Girl to ride in.

ü  My older son chose “an experience” for his birthday instead of a party. We had dinner at “a fancy” restaurant and cake at home at my mom’s in Indiana. Older Sons birthday gift hunt and Trampoline Hunt/Map – see more here

ü  Got Geodes to crack open from our Uncle’s Trip to Colorado with his Cross Country Track Team

ü  Movie and Cookies and Ice Cream with Ciocia Jola, just because

ü  Pirates Cove Amusement Park (and we picnic’d) $11 per child and baby girl was free (they thought she was under 1).

ü  Wicker Park fest, where we grew radish and pinto beans using hydroponic gardening - we used a clear glove instead of the jar. Later these were planted at Baba's house. (This summer, families can watch plants grow without soil in a hydroponic garden)

We also made red current jam from our garden berries (and with frozen mixed berries). We gardened, planted carrots, tomatoes, pumpkins and a few flowers...

Mom actually planned the 4th Annual Block Party this year, booking the jump house, obtaining the permit, and buying kids crafts to paint, bead, and tattoo ourselves to no end.

I also was able to spray paint some ugly gold frames we had to display dads Fathers Day present of the kids hand and foot print animals (Pinterest Inspired). So glad that's done.

So it looks like I am keeping this list for next year. We actually completed about half of the list.....which means we can look forward to have a lot more fun in our future.

The Days are long, but the years are short....Make Mistakes, Breath and Laugh.Out.Loud

Downtown Chicago: Fun and Some Free Activities for Kids and Adultss

My kids and I go downtown all the time and never shop! Well, not never. But we often go on our own excursions that are no cost or low cost... So we don't need to shop!


Millenium Park

We take the train part of the way there. We park at an enroute train station. Arrive at Union Station and walk the 10 blocks or cab it to Millennium Park. We usually pack drinking water and bring a change of clothes so we can get wet in the famous Millenium fountain on the west side of the park. We will Walk thru the Prarie area off the north side Monroe & near the newer bridge to Art Institute (and photo opportunities when we cross it!). Of course you can see "clouds gate," locally known as "the bean." Take pictures with your hands on the beam as if holding it up, laying down on the ground with your head towards the bean for a reflection, and another nice one is of the skyline in the beans reflection. Then walk the cool silver bridge 1/2 way towards the lakefront... or walk all the way to lakefront and eat lunch on the grass and watch the boats steps away from LSD at Monroe harbor. Brown bag lunch or buy a dog there. Great pics!! Sometimes they have sponsored day activities. This is all with in a 2 block radius...


Boat Tours

Wendellas boat rides are nice, bring snacks... Park underground then e lunch on the river somewhere. Then walk up the stairs and head south on Michigan avenue across the bridge and about 3 blocks down are a few nice shops, and restaurants (few doors down from the Comfort Suites). Including checking out the artifacts at the Hard Rock cafe.


Chinatown

You can take the water taxi to Chinatown. Lunch is inexpensive! Walk the main strip (Wentworth and Cermack) and visit some of the stores. Kids love the immersion in a different culture. Theres many walking tours, including kid friendly ones, be sure to ask for a short tour...There's great parks and restaurants to enjoy Bubble tea. Take a peek at chicagolikealocal.com for great kid friendly advice: http://chicagolikealocal.com/2011/09/18/chicagos-chinatown-with-kids-in-tow-2/


Fancy Tea Party and pictures

Oh!!! No shopping? How about Tea at the Ritz Carlton or the Peninsula hotel. So fabulous, gotta do it at least once. Phone first for times and availability. Served with Sandwiches & Cookies. Then walk over to Oak Street Beach for a bit. Before the underground passage stop and take pictures in the gazebo & flower garden east of Michigan Avenue and north of Oak Street.


John Hancock and Candy

Pay a visit to the John Hancock 95th / 96th floor for Lunch or kiddie cocktails drinks. Or just take an elevator ride up for free, your not required to eat there. The ladies room has a great view. Then walk over to water tower and ride the escalators all the way up to the CandyAlity store on the 7th floor... Giant lollipops and 3 foot tubes of gum balls. And your steps from Oak Street beach - see above.


Lunch at a BeachStro

Lunch on the beach is wonderful at the Oak Street Beachstro, seasonally only.

Downtown has so much to offer, make the most of it...enjoy!