Category: adventures with kids

Three Kite Flying Secrets
adventures with kids · kids · parenting · quarantine

Three Kite Flying Secrets

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I have been posting pics of my kids flying kites for several springs now and have had other parents ask me for tips. “What am I doing wrong?” they will say. “Our kite just won’t fly.”

Secret #1: Cheap kites are the best. They are the lightest which makes them great flyers. My father-in-law is a whiz with kites so we’ve had nicer ones and they really are hard for little kids to get started. When we started getting the cheap Barbie or Elsa or Buzz Lightyear kites, we had way fewer tears and the kids could do it themselves.

Cheap Barbie kite for the win!

Secret #2: Get the kites while you can. You don’t see kites year round. They tend to be available late February and all of March. When you see them it may still be cold outside and flying one may be furthest from your mind, but if you wait til late spring and for a windy day, you may not find these. We get ours at Walmart.

Secret #3: Kite flying can be done anytime of year! We tend to think of March- the windy month. But here in Tennessee, the day before any good rain shower tends to be windy. So watch your wind forecast and if you see rain, the day before tends to be windy!

Based on what I have read, kites will fly well between 8-24 mph, and even as a light of a breeze as 5-12 mph. If you can feel the breeze on your face, you can probably fly a kite. Personally we like our kites to really fly and put on a show, so I look for anywhere between 11-18 mph as our ideal. Less than that isn’t quite enough to get it up and keep it going, and more than that can be too much. I’ve circled the wind speed on the graphic below.

According to this graph the best bet for kite flying would be Sunday at 4pm.
My Old Kentucky Dinner Train: North Pole Express
adventures with kids · foodie · travel with kids · Uncategorized

My Old Kentucky Dinner Train: North Pole Express

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Have you ever wondered what it would be like to ride a train? Not a model train like they have at the zoo or at birthday parties, but a REAL TRAIN? Have you wondered what it would be like to experience the Polar Express in real life?

A friend posted about a Polar Express experience a couple of years ago, and since then it has been on my bucket list for my family to have that experience. I researched prices, different train locations and routes, Polar Express experiences offered within a 200 mile radius, and did a ton of reading. I narrowed my options down to two: French Lick and My Old Kentucky Dinner Train. I settled on My Old Kentucky Dinner Train for several reasons:

  • We are a foodie family! We love food. We appreciate fine dining and love any experiences that offer a chance to try new or high quality food. By the way, the food on this train was superb.
  • The thought of eating a delicious meal AND riding a real train AND having a Polar Express experience with Santa, Mrs. Claus, caroling, hot chocolate, and a chocolate Choo-choo train was irresistible. French Lick offered hot chocolate but not a meal. French Lick does offer a dining experience but it was either or. I liked that Kentucky Dinner train allowed us to do Polar Express AND dining combined.
  • Cost. We could drive to the Kentucky train, enjoy or ride and drive back same day. We live near Nashville so this was a better location option for us. French Lick would require us to stay the night which would be an added expense and time investment.
  • French Lick was sold out. I did my I guess you have to be on the ball to book with them! I was somewhat disappointed because French Lick looked more like a true Polar Express experience. I was also somewhat relieved because in my heart of hearts I wanted the dining and Polar Express! Wish granted!

If you are would like your family to have an unforgettable train ride of a lifetime, keep reading and I am more than happy to share our experience with you, as well as tips for planning your own experience.

When you book, you can choose North Pole Express (that is what we chose and what they call their Polar Express experience), regular dinner train, murder mystery, or bourbon excursion. I recommend booking a month or two in advance. I was thankful we thought ahead!

When choosing your date, you might be tempted to choose a date closest to Christmas, but we opted for November. This was a great choice for us because there was still a little fall foliage and the fields we passed along our ride were golden and quite pretty. It also was not as cold as December which is a personal draw for this cold-natured human. What I loved best about going in November is that it got us in the Christmas spirit. I am ready to decorate anything that stands still and Hallmark movies are life!

When considering the departure time for your trip, the North Pole Express departs at 11:00, while the regular dinner train leaves at 4:30. The 11:00 was good for us because we were able to have our train experience and get back home before dark. We did have to get up pretty early and leave our home in Tennessee around 7:00 am, taking into account the time change. We lost an hour traveling there since they are in Eastern time zone and we are in Central.

They ask that you arrive at least a half hour early. This was perfect for us because we were able to get our tickets, use the restroom (there are restrooms on each train car, by the way) browse in their gift shop, visit with Santa and lounge in their charming wait area that was nicely decorated for Christmas.

There is a dress code posted online which was funny to us. We laughed out loud at “sweater set.” While we did follow the dress code, we traveled with quite a few passengers who did not and no one seemed to be giving them a hard time.

We were delightfully surprised when we boarded the train to see a conductor taking our tickets and that the wait staff were dressed as elves. The train cars were decorated for the holidays and the tables were already set with our salad plates and the charcuterie platter and pretzel sticks and beer cheese that we added on.

Before the train even departed, we had time to eat our salads, appetizers and enjoy a couple cups of coffee. Our charcuterie platter was perfect: olives, pepper jack and gouda cheeses, several gourmet crackers, pepperoni, pralines with honey, grapes, and strawberries. They served lemonade or tea, your choice and you get refills the entire trip. You could also order adult beverages if you wanted.

When you purchase your tickets, you are required to submit your food order. The menu is pretty limited, but the food was so surprisingly good. My mother-in-law, older daughter and I ordered the pot roast with mashed potatoes. It was so yummy and the portions were VERY generous  – they let you have to-go boxes. My husband ordered the hot brown, and we got chicken tenders for the younger daughter. Kids get a big cookie for dessert and all of the adults ordered the chocolate raspberry mousse which was divine. We added on chocolate choo-choos for the girls. They were a sight to behold, filled with chocolate mousse and whipped cream.

Santa and Mrs. Claus led the children singing “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and read “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” They walked through cars off and on for the duration of the ride and made appearances, greeting each of the children with plenty of photo ops.

You will pass some pretty farmland, neighborhoods and Jim Beam distillery. Half the ride you will face forward, then the engine is pulled around and attached to the other end of the train. The other half of the ride you face backward. For half of our ride, our car was the caboose so it was fun to walk to the end of our car, stand in the open air and see the train tracks disappearing behind us.

I would say we were on the train a couple of hours. It was the perfect amount of time, with plenty of time to savor your food, but not too long either, by the time our natives (children) became restless, it was over.

When we arrived back at the train station, the children got their tickets punched and they both received a “Believe” bell keepsake ornament. Santa and Mrs. Claus were also available for photos.

We loved our North Pole Express and dinner train experience! It was a unique opportunity that we all hope to have again. Visit My Old Kentucky Dinner Train’s website for more info.

 

Isle of Palms: Chasing the Sunrise
adventures with kids · travel with kids

Isle of Palms: Chasing the Sunrise

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One of our favorite things to do at the beach is catching the sunrise.

I know that may seem contrary to what many people think when they go to the beach. Many want to sleep in, go to the beach later in the day and catch the sunset.

I have to tell you that if you are among these, you are missing out! Especially if you visit a beach on the east coast. So many post and share about sunsets on the beach, but the beach is often crowded at this time and not nearly as bold and brilliant since the sun rises in the east.

Be sure you venture out a half hour before the scheduled sunrise. We visit in the fall and sunrise is around 7:30. Your weather app or a simple Google search will let you know the predicted time of the sunrise, but be aware that there is a beautiful color show 30-45 minutes prior!

Our best experiences finding seashells have been in the early morning. It’s so fun to be the among the first down to seek out what was washed onto the shore during the night.

We found a sand dollar this morning! And a runner gave us beautiful whelks.

This does mean getting up early, but early bird gets the sunrise!

Packing for Vacation: High Maintenance or Well-Prepared?
adventures with kids · travel with kids

Packing for Vacation: High Maintenance or Well-Prepared?

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When you travel, are there certain creature comforts or extra items you bring along that you wouldn’t find on the typical packing list? I know our family tends to be a little extra!

But one thing I know for sure, the better we prepare, the better trip we have and the happier we are!

As I pondered our extra items, I couldn’t help but think, “Wow, we are pretty smart packers! We’ve thought of everything!”

Here are our extras! (Keep in mind we cook on our vacays so many of these are to stock our kitchen – we save money buying items at our local Walmart instead of paying marked up prices near our condo. 🤓)

  • Sound machine (can’t sleep without it)
  • Trash bags
  • Empty Walmart bags
  • Ziploc bags
  • Foil
  • Toilet paper
  • Paper towels
  • Olive oil
  • Vinegar
  • Spices
  • Kosher salt – most condos stock iodized 😣
  • Foaming hand soap (we use a natural kind)
  • Thieves cleaner
  • Dish soap
  • Dishwasher detergent
  • Laundry detergent
  • Coffee
  • Diffuser and essential oils
  • Beach toys
  • Bug spray (diy – natural)
  • Steak seasoning (my husband makes his own)
  • Kids snacks and drink pouches

For the kids:

  • DVDs – new ones they haven’t seen before
  • Art supplies
  • Crafts
  • Games (checkers, uno, etc)
  • Books to read to our 6-year-old at bedtime
  • Kneeling pad for bathing kiddos
  • Pitcher for bathing kiddos to keep water out of their eyes

Books for bedtime! Can’t forget those!

Please share in the comments if any of these are your extras too or if any of these helped you!

St. Louis Zoo: Tips for Having a Great Experience
adventures with kids · kids · travel with kids · Uncategorized

St. Louis Zoo: Tips for Having a Great Experience

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The St. Louis Zoo really needs to be at the top of your list if you’re visiting St. Louis. We live Tennessee and have a membership at Nashville Zoo which we love. I was skeptical that the St. Louis Zoo could be better or different than our beloved zoo, and I was pleasantly surprised.

The zoo is huge. We didn’t come anywhere near seeing it all the day we went. I don’t even know that we saw half! You almost need to look at a map before you go and plan what you want to see the most that day, then plan on coming again in the future to see everything else.

My niece was our amazing tour guide for the day. She grew up in St. Louis and lives right outside of St. Louis so they have been fairly regularly. We were able to see some of the animal feedings and interactions with the trainers which was really neat.

Hedgehog experience

There is a train that routes around the entire zoo, which is a real lifesaver and can save you many footsteps. You do need to know it is popular! We had to wait between 5 and 20 minutes each time we rode the train.

Go early. Arriving when the zoo opens will allow you to avoid crowds. It was definitely more crowded toward the end of our time than when we got there. I would also say to go on a weekday. We have not been on the weekend, but I can imagine it would be more crowded on those days.

The zoo wasn’t so crowded that we couldn’t let the girls walk ahead. Go early!

The zoo is free! What the what? They could easily charge for admission or membership but they don’t.

They DO make money. Food, train rides, carousel, souvenirs and all the extras will cost you. Particularly the animal encounters. To save money you may want to consider packing your own lunches and snacks. We totally tailgated in the parking lot!

Animal encounters. I want to go back to the St. Louis Zoo for this reason alone. While we were there, we noticed several zoo patrons getting to have special experiences that the rest of us weren’t. When we saw the sea lion show, there was a young lady in the audience who was able to go behind the scenes and work with the sea lions. They trained her to do some tricks with them. I was honestly jealous! But then we read anyone could do them if you pay!

At the children’s zoo I saw a little girl who got to go back where the food is prepared for the animals and she was able to handle an baby owl. I want to handle a baby owl!

Baby owl! 🦉

We did the stingray experience which ended up being the coolest part of our visit. You get to feed them and pet them! I was a little nervous about it but if you follow their instructions and do it correctly, you will not get stung. And the baby rays were so adorable!

Stingray experience

There are SO many experiences offered and animals you can see up close and personal: big cats, giraffes, sloths, penguins and more.  The good news is that anyone can do these. You have to schedule them in advance and there is a cost. We will definitely book one of these experiences next time we go!

Louisville Zoo: Tips for an Unforgettable Trip
adventures with kids · travel with kids

Louisville Zoo: Tips for an Unforgettable Trip

Essentially Better Living1 Comment
The Louisville Zoo surprised and delighted us. We are members at the Nashville and go fairly often. We expected this zoo to be really similar to it, but we were thankfully mistaken. A special thank you to our friend Grace and her family. We visited the zoo as her guest, and we were grateful to her for the experience, and for helping us navigate. She guided us through like a pro!
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They have a a carousel just like our zoo!

One of the things that stood out most to me, were the animals we saw. So many that we don’t have at our zoo like lions, polar bears, gorillas or sea lions. I planned on taking tons of pictures, but it’s the videos that really get across how amazing the animals were so that’s what I will attempt to share here.

Lion

I could have stayed here for the longest. I loved how active he was while we were there and how close up we were able to get!

Polar Bear

Check on the zoo website before you visit. Our group was able to see the polar bear and grizzly bear feeding and demo. I was so impressed with the knowledge of the staff and that there were experts at almost every station to teach us more about the animals.

Grizzly Bear

The grizzly bear was so much fun to watch. We not only got to see it’s feeding and demo, we also got to watch him eat a melon and play a little head nodding game with it which made more sense after watching the demo and seeing that was part of it.

Tiger

I can’t tell you how many times we said “perfect timing” while we were at the zoo. It rained twice. Once while we were under the cover of the carousel and once under the cover of the tiger exhibit. We were able to see the tiger feeding and demo and the tiger was also very active for us before and after putting on such a great show.

Gorilla

When we first got to this exhibit neither of the gorillas that were visible to us were active: one was sleeping and the other was over in the corner. I’m so glad we waited and were patient. The sleeping one woke up and the kids played a head scratching game with him.

Splash Pad + Food and Beverage

If you visit the zoo in the summer, be sure to have your kiddos wear swimwear under their clothes. There is an awesome and sizable splash pad where they can cool off. They also sell Dippin Dots and frozen wine in this area. The splash pad is well-placed because we encountered it about the time our crew was getting tired and hot.

As far as lunch, there are burgers and chicken sold near the splash pad, or there is another food and beverage location in the Africa area which is where we ate. You really can make a day of being here.

Zoo Favorites

Our favorite features of this zoo were that there were many animals we can’t find at our zoo, the demos and being able to see them fed, and the splash pad! This will definitely be on our list when we return to Louisville. And we will return!

Noteworthy things to try next trip that we missed this time: pony or camel ride, sea lion show, train ride (wasn’t operating the day we were there).

Adventure Science Center
adventures with kids · kids · nashville

Adventure Science Center

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Adventure Science Center is an absolute gem located in Nashville. It’s a fun time of exploring and learning for kids and grownup kids.

On a recent visit, I thoughtfully planned our trip based on what had and had not went well on past visits. Honestly, the only negative I can think to mention is that it can be quite crowded at peak times.

With that said, my game plan was: Go on a weekday. Get there early (as in when they open – the website said 10 but we arrived at 9:30 and doors were already open). Eat lunch early. There’s a Subway on the top floor and it gets crazy crowded around lunch time. We strategically ate at 10:45 and we were the only ones in there. When we walked by an hour later it was packed, and a long line to place your order.

Both of my girls love this science center. We have been to others, and our Nashville center does the best job of catering to younger and older kids that I have seen. My children particularly love the space area and Human Body area.

Other tips?

  • Bring a backpack or fanny pack. Lugging around a diaper bag or heavy handbag is the worst.
  • Keep your phone nearby because there will be plenty of photo and video ops but you will want to be hands-free so you can plan and participate in all the fun.
  • When you pass by a bathroom, have all your peeps use it. That way you can maximize your playtime instead of trekking your way back to the potty when someone announces they have to “go.”
  • Do the Planetarium experience. It was something we will never forget. The reactions of my kiddos was priceless. There are several shows – We chose “Nightwatch.”
  • Kids will want to flock to the climbing apparatus in the center, but in my opinion the cooler and more fun activities are along the perimeter of each floor. My children love the space area and human body area especially.
  • Save money. If you are a teacher at a public school in the state of Tennessee bring your badge for free/discounted admission. Our school sells a City Saver coupon book and the coupon admitted one of my children for free. I also ordered ice water for us to drink at Subway!

 

Visiting Nashville Farmer’s Market with Kids
adventures with kids · foodie · nashville

Visiting Nashville Farmer’s Market with Kids

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Even before kids, going to farmer’s markets has been one of our favorite things to do.

We’ve been going to the farmer’s market in Nashville for almost two decades, and it’s definitely one of our happy places.

If you ask our girls their five favorite things to do at the farmer’s market they would tell you:

1. Get Jeni’s Ice Cream.

 

Yes it’s a chain, but it is the BEST ice cream. It’s the creamiest and has the most unique flavor combinations. We love getting the trio and sharing. This lets us try three different flavors without breaking the bank and without getting two full because we also eat lunch at the market. That brings me to the next favorite thing for kids which is have lunch at the market.

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The trio at Jeni’s

2. Have lunch at the farmer’s market.

Why it’s cool: it’s like a big food court only kicked up several notches. The girls love that there is something for everyone and we don’t all have to order from the same vendor. My oldest daughter raves about Bella Nashville’s pizza cooked in wood fired ovens. You’ll find that vendor near the back. Both girls love watching the pizzas being made and put into the oven. Picky eater? My little one gets a hot dog from The Picnic Tap. The Picnic Tap is one of the most kid friendly vendors there. They have games and toys for little ones to play while they wait. My husband and I love that there are many ethnic food options! We love and have tried: Greek, Thai, and French crepes. Both girls love eating in the main food court area and always comment on the “light bulb fairy lights.”

3. The I ❤️ Nash sign.

 

Grownups and kiddos love stopping to take a pic with this highly Instagram-able sign.

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4. Fresh fruit and veggies! The girls love getting fresh produce from the vendors. We especially love finding The Peach Truck’s booth. We can’t come and leave without a bag of delicious peaches!

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5. PLAY IN THE WATER!!

Right beside the farmer’s market, located under the overpass, you’ll find hidden the best ever splash pad: The Rivers of Tennessee Fountains at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park. We always put swimsuits on under our clothes and bring sunscreen and towels with us on farmer’s market days so the girls can run and splash and play.

If you’ve never been to the Nashville Farmer’s Market with your kiddos, I hope you try it and love it like we do. If you have, I’d love to know what you and your children love about the market in the comments!

adventures with kids · kids · nashville

American Girl Doll Hair Salon Spectacular

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Back in May, when friends were talking about signing their kids up for camps for the summer, I thought, “Wouldn’t it be cool if there was a hairstyling camp?”

I did a quick Google search and found out our American Girl store was having a Doll Hair Salon Spectacular over the summer. Sold!

I took AC today and she LOVED IT. She clocked in an hour with one of the stylists and there were only three girls, including her, in the class. Anna Claire can already do almost every braid so I was a little worried she would be bored or might not learn anything.

Not to worry! She learned a LOT! She learned several tricks she didn’t know on how to use her topsy tail tool, how to incorporate a headband into a hairstyle, and how to be more neat and methodical in parting small strands of hair.

She was the most excited about learning more tricks for how to smooth and detangle. They use several tools that we didn’t have at home so we shall be procuring those. If you have a hairstyle loving girl check out my post on our favorite hair tools.

It’s so fun to find ways to support your kids in their talents. ❤️

Madeline didn’t meet the age requirement for the class, but she had a ball watching her doll get hair and nails done and trying out the toys on display. Needless to say Madeline’s birthday wishlist grew a lot today!

Birthday Twins: Double Digits!
adventures with kids · Anna Claire · birthday · kids · nashville

Birthday Twins: Double Digits!

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These two hit it off as best friends in Kindergarten, then Cassidy moved at the end of that year. Her mom and I recognized the friendship as something as something special and have stayed connected the past five years, making the effort to get the girls together. We have had some fun times!

I took Anna Claire to Restoration Hardware Cafe a few weeks ago, and had since begged me, “Oh Mommy, it would be perfect if we could come here with Cassidy and Miss Grace for our birthday. Then we could go shopping after!”

Cassidy and Anna Claire share a birthday, both born on June 25. I remember hearing that Michael Jackson had died that day on tv shortly after having her. She just ran in the room and told me George Michael and Anthony Bourdain share their birthday too – she asked Alexa on her new Echo Dot.

We have all been excited about this day, us moms as much as the girls. We had so much fun exploring Restoration Hardware, enjoying the beautiful cafe, having lunch and dessert at Cheesecake Factory, shopping til we almost dropped, and Starbucks to end the day perfectly. We love these friends and sharing this special day with them each year.

One of my former students made these shirts for the girls. We have had so much kindness shown to both girls this entire birthday experience!