Cirque du Soleil’s Volta in Chicago!

Tuesday, we enjoyed one of the most amazing shows I have ever seen. Cirque du Soleil’s VOLTA opened in Chicago for the first time at Soldier Field. It is rare that the whole family is mesmerized by anything. We have literally spent the entire weekend debating which act we LOVED the most.

VOLTA celebrates being true to oneself, fulfilling one’s true potential, and recognizing one’s own power to make it possible. It draws it's inspiration from BMX, street sports and acrobatics. I've seen many Cirque du Soleil shows and every year, the costumes completely blow me away.

The show will be presented under its signature Big Top at the Soldier Field South Lot,1410 Museum Campus Drive, Chicago, May 18 –July 6,2019. Tickets, starting at $49, are available for purchase by visiting cirquedusoleil.com/volta or calling 1-877-9CIRQUE (1-877-924-7783).

This woman floated high above the audience BY HER HAIR! It was equal parts mesmerizing and amazing!

Every time Mr. Wow was on the stage, my son was laughing. Whenever I take the kids anywhere I love to look over and see the expression on their face. Mr Wow, was LOL funny!

I always love the aerial acts. They are so strong and talented. LOVE watching them!

I also love the live music weaved into the acts. There is so much going on both ON and OFF the stage.

This is the first show I've ever seen that worked BMX into the act. Those riders were SO talented. I've never seen anyone do what these folks did on bicycles. The stage transforms into a full BMX park and you'll be BLOWN away by it! Run don't walk to see VOLTA in Chicago.You can purchase tickets here.

Be sure to connect with them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!

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Celebrate Christmas With The Joffrey Ballet!

What a treat to enjoy Joffrey Ballet's Nutcracker with my daughter!

What's so special about it? It's Chicago themed, set in 1892 leading into the Chicago World's Fair! Does it still have amazing costumes? YES! I loved them all. In my opinion, the Christmas Holiday doesn't begin until you've enjoyed The Nutcracker. Bringing my daughter was a memory I will cherish. I went to college just down the street from the Auditorium Theatre and this part of the city holds a special place in my heart. To be able to share this with my daughter is a real treat!

We discussed our favorite act, and our favorite scenes from the show. It's SO tough to pick a favorite. I love Act II, but I think my favorite scene is the Land of Snow from Act I. It's simply dreamy. The set, stage and dancers are MAGICAL!

We were fortunate enough to be able to go backstage after the show.

The sets, and the props are TOO MUCH FUN!

The Nutcracker will be playing through Dec 30, and you can find tickets here. Also, be sure to check the Joffrey out on Facebook and Instagram!

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Chicago's Great Wolf Lodge!

My kids feel like it's Christmas in July! Why you ask? Because Great Wolf Lodge in Gurnee Illinois is OPEN! We got to experience the resort over the weekend and it REALLY delivered! I'm about to hit you with a lot of pictures because, if I just told you everything there is to do, you wouldn't believe me.

Hee, hee, can you tell they're excited?

The first thing we did after checking in was hit the 80,000 square feet indoor water park. It is AMAZING. My son, actually doesn't care for sliding, BUT between the wave pool, Fort Mackenzie and Crooked Creek he was having a BALL! My daughter, can not get enough of the slides. She went down every single one they have, and that's a lot!
Can you tell she was having fun?

 AND I was as well ;)

Have you heard of MagiQuest? It is BRILLIANT! It's an interactive video game that the kids and adults can play all over the lodge with wands. PLUS, you can take your wand home and the next time you visit Great Wolf Lodge, you can pick up your game where you left off. My kids LITERALLY took their wands everywhere we went and played every step of the way.

When you visit, be sure to make a stop at the Great Wolf Candy Company. It is TOO SWEET!

The kids did some gem mining, which was fun. They also spent an hour identifying all of the gems they found. Which gave me a little time with my feet up, thank you.

I love the Rustic Ridge Climbing Wall. My Maggie is quite a talented climber.

The highlight of our trip was the Howlers Peak Ropes Course. Both Maggie and I are afraid of heights. BUT, we challenged ourselves and rocked the entire course!

Can you believe I did this?! I am still amazed by it. The staff for the course is top notch. They climb around like ninjas to help anyone who gets stuck or needs a little confidence boost. I was really impressed with them.

While my Benny choose to keep his feet on the ground, he channeled his inner mini golf guru.

He also bowled like a champ!

There are tons of activities for the kids. My Benny rocked his downward dog at the yoga. There is also story time, a dance party for the kids, a character show and so much more.

Look at these faces. I could not ask for more. We will be coming back to Great Wolf Lodge again and again. It's the perfect weekend getaway from the city. No lie, from the city in Friday rush hour traffic, we made it there in under two hours. On the way home with no traffic, just over an hour.

Thank you Great Wolf Lodge for giving us all sweet dreams!

Be sure to check them out on the web. They have locations all over the US and one in Canada.  So tell me, have you been to Great Wolf Lodge?

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MSI Keeps Kids Learning This Summer!

I am a member of the MSI. This post is a collaboration with them but all experiences and opinions are my own.

I love having my kids home in the summer. BUT we fall into the too much screen time dilemma. Did you know kids lose approximately three months of learning while they are out of school? Thankfully, The Museum of Science + Industry has the solution with Summer Brain Games! They have eight free and fun at-home science experiments with step-by-step instructions, using items found around the house or easily purchased. My favorite part ... it gets my kids off of their screens and outside exploring, thinking AND doing.

Raising city kids means you have to work a little harder to find nature. It's amazing what you can find in the park down the street. Nature Bingo brings an afternoon of outside perfection! Be sure to download the printable here.

We found bees, ants, wildflowers, even plants that had been eaten by something.

This summer's project all focus on understanding how the Earth works and our impact on it. Nothing lights up a child's mind more than an experiment. I said, "Benny, how would you like to make a cloud?"

Not only was he thrilled to do it, BUT his older sister was excited as well!

This experiment couldn't have been easier AND all we needed was a 1 liter plastic bottle with lid, a measuring cup, a match and boiled water. (Always supervise when matches are involved.)

An afternoon outside on the patio making clouds with BOTH kids is a parenting win! Thank you MSI for the experimenting inspiration!

Be sure to register here to receive a free ticket to visit MSI! We'll be checking out these experiments there and you can to, Tuesdays through Fridays on July 17 through August 10.  Happy summer friends and keep learning, exploring and experimenting!

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Airfit Lincoln Park

You guys, I tried my first aerial class!

EVERYONE has asked: "You must be really flexible?" "Do you have a gymnastics background?" "Is it hard?" "Is it fun?"

I'm here to tell you, I'm NOT flexible. Far from it. I've NEVER been good at gymnastics. It was TOTALLY fun AND it was a really good workout. If you have the chance to try it out, I highly recommend it. My arms are still sore. But it's that good sore where you know you got a good workout. Check them out and see if there's a class near you! OR you can check out their IG feed.

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Ode a la Rose in Chicago

This weekend is Mother's Day. We're celebrating a little early in our house since I'm pinch hitting in a last minute marathon for a friend who came up injured. (More on that later.)

Look what came to my door today from Ode a la Rose!

I love fresh cut flowers, and for the life of me, I can't figure out why I don't get them more often. They are quite simply a joy to have around.

Sunday is Mother's Day, don't forget mom! Get your last minute orders in stat! (You can also find Ode a la Rose on FB and IG)

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Sub Zero ... No Thank You

Don't get me wrong, I love the snow ...

but I could use a little warmth. It was -10 today. I'm cold!

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All I Want For Christmas

We've been doing a lot of dog sitting lately. The kids want a dog. LIKE badly. I'm not ready. A dog in the city is a HUGE commitment. That said, when you get a big sweetie like Theo Bear, you start thinking, "I want one of these lovies."

There won't be a pup under the tree ... but there might be one coming in 2018. #StayTuned

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Mermaids Are Real!

Recently, Maggie and I got the chance to be mermaids!

It was SO fun! We took a mother daughter class with Aqua Mermaid Chicago.

They offer weekly classes, birthday parties and bachelorette parties. Maggie is hoping for a summer camp, because she was a fast little mermaid.

They provide the tail with the class, BUT Santa might just be bringing this little mermaid a tail for Christmas. (Don't tell!) You can find all the tails here. Those tails are actually quite amazing. The monofin, where you put your feet is clever, comfortable and functional.

You can find Aqua Mermaid on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Don't miss their Black Friday deal! (Discount code BF2017)

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Family Fun at Pheasant Run!

No doubt about it, my family needed a weekend away. Something close to Chicago, but defiantly out of the city. We were offered a complimentary night at Pheasant Run Resort, just outside of St Charles, and it was EXACTLY what we needed. I feel at this point, I need to mention I grew up on a farm. Hay rides were a staple of my childhood. Some of my FONDEST memories are from hay rack rides in the country. I couldn't have been more thrilled with the hay ride at Pheasant Run!

Have you ever seen a hay ride decked out like this? You know you want to take a ride!

Pheasant Run was ready with blankets for the cool night and it was PERFECTION. Halfway through the golf course journey, we stopped for hot cider and a show.

I may or may not have joined in the fun. #TotallyDid The next morning, my kids were in the pool. My kids simply can't resist an indoor/outdoor pool.

There is nothing I love more than chilling poolside while my kids splash about.

If they had their way, they'd still be there. Then, we were able to enjoy farm life at Primrose Farms. They have activities like hands on milking, egg gathering, and horse grooming. Which you can book through the front desk.

My son was ALL OVER the chickens.

I had my doubts on whether or not he'd be able to pet one, but he was patient and kind and he did get to pet chickens.

I don't know anyone who can resist baby goats. They are just THE cutest!

If my Maggie had her way, this big guy would be on our patio right now. This is PURE love. Unfortunately he did not fit in the car;)

You can't finish a weekend away without a visit to the spa. While we didn't have time to enjoy a massage or facial, we were able to enjoy the aromatherapy workshop and Maggie was able to take home a body mist that she mixed herself. I would love to go back and enjoy Girlfriends Spa Getaway package, or one of their massages.

I am not a golfer, but I couldn't help but notice they have an amazing 18-Hole Championship Golf Course.

We also enjoyed Jambalaya Restaurant, The Terrace Cafe and Bourbon Street. Their dining options are endless.

We packed quite a bit into our weekend away, and my kids are already asking when we can go back. That's a win in my book! If you're interested in learning more about Pheasant Run, find them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

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