Culinary Fight Club Chicago!

Still can't believe my "baby" is nearly an adult (4 more months till it's official; Hold me). That said, it's pretty awesome to do things with him one on one. We talk and talk without interruption and I am reminded, once again, just how cool he really is. 

His culinary arts program through the local college/high school collaboration is his favorite thing (after computer gaming). I am always thrilled to indulge this obsession and possible career choice (except when he's telling me how wrong I am doing things in the kitchen. Oy.).

Taking Justin to the September Culinary Fight Club in Chicago was right up his alley. 

It really was cool to see the different teams going their own directions, knowing that we were going to taste them ALL. :)

We each had our own favorites, and the food WAS delicious, but in the long run, the best part for me was this:

 Getting to listen to my child (4 more months left!! I'm gonna say it while I CAN) describe his passion for creative cooking was a gift. Though we cannot make it to the October Fight Club, we fully intend on going again!

The next Culinary Fight Club in Chicago is on October 17 and there are still tickets available. Register now and see what the hype is all about!

Culinary Fight Club!

I don't often get excited for blogging events anymore, but when an invite to the Culinary Fight Club at Navy Pier came my way, I could NOT resist. My eldest kid just so happens to be a foodie-wannabe-chef, so this Monday the two of us will be living it up at The Billy Goat Tavern, watching as 3 local chefs battle it out to see who can create the most amazing, perfect bite of food.

AND WE GET TO SAMPLE IT, TOO!

Honestly, I would have been happy enough with just the sampling of creative foods; but knowing that 20% of all Culinary Fight Club Chicago Event proceeds benefit feeding the hungry through the non-profit - Fight2Feed, well that just seals the deal on making this event a Must Not Miss for me. 

Interested? Tickets are still available! 


~ This is a sponsored post, but all opinions are my own.~

Because Girls CAN Do Anything Boys Can Do

*Disclaimer-This is a compensated post to promote DiscoverE.org, a website dedicated to introducing students, parents, and educators to engineering, engaging them in hands-on engineering experiences and making science and math relevant.*

There has been a growing concentration of media attention in regards to girls and their exposure to engineering, especially at an early age. As a mother of 2 sons and a daughter (my youngest), my home has an abundance of engineering/problem solving toys and activities. That said, I stepped back recently and evaluated what "we" owned and what "she" owned - I was a little disgusted with myself in that most of Corinne's mechanical and engineering exposure exists as hand-me-downs from her brothers. Aside from a few lego sets and building blocks, all of the really "cool" stuff was once owned by a BOY.

There is nothing wrong with hand-me-downs! I know this; you know this. Second-hand toys are a staple of life and I could not exist without them. What does this say to my daughter, though? Have I unknowingly assisted the world in perpetuating the idea that women are not equipped to handle the fields of engineering?

Enough!  Enough of that. My girl is brilliant and creative and loves to build everything from elaborate blanket forts to a "zip line" in the backyard. She has just as much talent and interest in the processes of building and problem-solving as her brothers do and should always be exposed to as many hands-on activities as they are!

When I was contacted to promote DiscoverE.org , I jumped at the chance. not only because I needed a kick in the pants to be MORE "Hands on" with my children's engineering exposure, but also because I homeschool and the DiscoverE site and Facebook page has fantastic resources for engineering activities and videos. In fact, I just spent half an hour with my daughter on some of the links their site provided. We built a parachute that could withstand the rigors of a Mars entry but would also fit into the minimal volume of the canister that is provided on the spacecraft. We assigned work projects to scientists of different abilities and discussed what the words "computer, supercomputer, and grid" meant. We had fun playing games that are designed for KIDS and she learned, once again, that she is capable and smart; she is able to be anything she puts her mind to.

Some people hear the word "engineer" and think of about 2 stereotypes: a guy in coveralls, driving a train, and a mechanical-type figure of eras gone past. But engineering is more than that! If includes career choices from nearly any field imaginable: medicine, law, manufacturing, and agriculture. Engineering is required to build not only bridges and buildings but also infrastructures that help to feed and clothe the world. If there are problems that need to be solved, engineering comes into play!

As a homeschooling family, bringing science and math into our "everyday" is more than just a supplement to their education: it IS their education! The projects available through DiscoverE encourage our daughters and sons to consider all of the options that exist in this hugely diverse world. One of the most intriguing ideas I have found out about through DiscoverE is the FutureCity.org competition. In fact, I am researching if our homeschooling co-op is able to register for the 2015 competition! I think our middle school kids would really pull together and create something unique.

For more information on encouraging your daughter in the fields of engineering, join in on Twitter for a #GirlDay2014 #STEMchat on February 19 at 9 PM Eastern in honor of Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day

Traveling the Midwest? Cleveland's Calling!

Living just 40 minutes outside of Chicago, one of the greatest cities in the world (FACT - Not opinion*), my family is blessed to be able to enjoy fantastic museums, zoos, parks and natural beauties... But everyone needs an occasional change of pace, regardless of how much they love where they live.

The Midwest is awesome in that there are several beautiful cities within reasonable driving distance from each other. This summer, my family took a weekend trip to Cleveland, OH and had a WHIRLWIND of awesome awesomeness.

LITERALLY.

Staying at a hotel is always a good time for our kids, but throw in a pool with a waterslide and it becomes an adventure! The Fairfield Inn and Suites was clean and courteous and had a full breakfast every day, which saved us time and money so that we could spend BOTH on other activities downtown.

The Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, to be honest, was my main reason for revisiting Cleveland. When you're married to a musician, the RRHOF is a MUST. Hours were spent guffawing over the handwritten lyrics by Jim Morrison...

and outfits worn by Jimi Hendrix...

 RRHOF one of his favorite places I've ever taken him. (He took about 200 pictures. I am not exaggerating.) After 3 hours in the museum, the kids were getting hungry, so he turned to me while standing beside "The Wall" and said, "I'm good. I am happy and content and we can go now." I think he was drooling a little bit...

Play Me; I'm yours...

Listening to the history of early jazz and R&B

Hello? Is there anybody IN there? Just nod if you can hear me...

 I think seeing the vast collection of the Doors and Pink Floyd sealed the deal for Patrick, making the RRHOF one of his favorite places that I've ever taken him to.

Husband satisfied, we grabbed a snack and then strolled next door to the Great Lakes Science Center, admiring the views of downtown Cleveland and Lake Erie.

 I am always happy to incorporate education into our trips. My 7 year old whined as we walked into the museum ("Why do we always have to do LEARNING THINGS?!?") but quickly changed her tune once she beheld the huge assortment of hands-on activities. BEST PART?!? There was hardly anyone at the museum on a SATURDAY! Each of us was able to try all of the experiments and my 14 year old even VOLUNTARILY did Algebra. On vacation. Did I mention it was VOLUNTARY?

Flying a space module... Major Tom to Ground Control?

ALGEBRA. On vacation. 

An entire music section upstairs! Sounds and rhythms are found in science all around us...

Always fun.

The unique exterior of the RRHOF, located next door to the Science Center, right on the shores of Lake Erie.
SO CONVENIENT!

 We took a break from museums and what-not for some absolutely delicious pizza at the 4th Street Bar & Grill found in downtown Cleveland, just a few blocks away from the RRHOF and Science Center. 4th Street has an entire collection of cool bars and restaurants, if you're looking for some good grub in a beautiful and safe location.

So cute. Him, not me. Though I won't say "no" to a compliment...

4th Street at night on a weekend is WHERE IT'S AT. During the day on a Saturday, it's still pretty awesome.

Totally full, we packed up the troops and headed towards the flats for our next bit of the adventure.

(Side note: Ever try to take pics without a flash in a dark aquarium?)

The Greater Cleveland Aquarium is a lovely facility with great exhibits. We spent about an hour and a half here and left feeling thrilled that we were able to see and explore so many beautiful aquatic animals. Again, it's a smaller building than what I'm used to in Chicago, but the size isn't what matters; it's the quality of the animal care, which seemed phenomenal. My kids wanted to rush back to see the shark tank, which is an obvious must-see but be sure to take your time - don't miss the opportunities to touch a tortoise or stroke a stingray!

We had just studied the tortoises of the Galapagos Islands, so it was a real thrill to touch a live one...

The stingray exhibit allows you to pet the animals as they swim and also had hermit crabs and other small critters available for an up-close investigation.

Anybody else getting a little creeped out?

And definitely be sure to admire how an abandoned Powerhouse was rescued and then transformed into a  truly unique and beautiful aquarium. It was FASCINATING!

Fun with photo editing!

Moments after Evan regaled the on-site marine scientist with his insane knowledge of sharks, including the prehistoric Megalodon.

We headed back to the hotel for several hours of swimming and family bonding by the pool and waterslide before we were finally able to drag the kids back to bed. They were so exhausted, they passed out almost before we did (Almost).

(Totally not tired. Mom is cray cray.)

The 1st time I visited Cleveland, we visited the MetroParks Zoo. Back then, the elephant enclosure was under construction and I was able to walk where several African elephants are now happily living. It was pretty cool to see how much work they accomplished with such a fabulous outcome. (Here is where a picture of the exhibit would be helpful... I sure do wish I had taken a picture of it. Use your imagination!)

We strolled the zoo at our own pace and just enjoyed the exhibits. It's a large space, and laid out with long and winding trails, so if you are visiting on a hot day, be prepared with plenty of water and a well-charged camera, because there are photo ops around every corner!

 Dinosaurs may be extinct, but they still exist at the special exhibit at the Cleveland MetroParks Zoo (until September 15 for an extra charge).

 Being paleontologists...

 A fact you may not know about my kids: they love ants. Ants are awesome and have been involved in many discussions in our everyday lives. We watched these leaf cutter ants carrying "enormous" shreds of leaves through long and winding tunnels so that they could provide food and shelter for the babies at the nest. My kids were FASCINATED.

 A KOALA! I wish I could have gotten a better picture, but there was a KOALA at the zoo! And he was awake! And he looked at me and we BONDED and I wanted to take him home, but there are rules against stealing animals from zoos, so I refrained... BARELY.

 Yay for turtles! Don't they rock? So prepared, all the time. Like little Boy Scouts only without the badges or annoying popcorn sales...

When you look through binoculars at a zoo, you're going to make some pretty interesting discoveries...

The Rainforest is ABSOLUTELY worth the trip and is actually a separate fee; if you are visiting with only an hour or two to spend, you can purchase tickets to just this exhibit and leave having seen some of the most beautiful animals of the entire zoo.

One of my favorite critters of all time...

Overall, Cleveland a CITY, which means activities and festivals; museums and zoos. It may not be on your list of vacation spots... but maybe it should be!

Check out these fantastic events coming to Cleveland this fall! There's something for everyone, including YOU!

August 30-September 2 – Cleveland Labor Day Oktoberfest: Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds

Enjoy exciting German traditions at the Cleveland Labor Day Oktoberfest. With all things German and much more, there is something for everyone. Guests can spend their time enjoying sidewalk chalk art, wiener dog races and a car show. For those looking for more of a traditional German experience, there will be polka bands, wiener schnitzel, and an abundance of delicious bier.

www.clevelandoktoberfest.com

September 20-22 – IngenuityFest

Held on Cleveland's lakeside docks, Cleveland’s IngenuityFest brings together artists, engineers, programmers and creators who showcase art based on yearly themes. The festival brings art and science together while highlighting the creativity and innovation taking place at the edge of both worlds.

www.ingenuitycleveland.com

  

September 21-22 – Cleveland Museum of Art Chalk Festival

The Cleveland Museum of Art presents its annual Chalk Festival, an art that is a 16^th century Italian tradition.  Great for kids and adults, the festival allows visitors to adorn a patch of the sidewalk with their own Monet or Renoir-like art, ultimately creating a beautiful landscape of chalk masterpieces.

www.clevelandart.org

September 7-8 – Fourth Annual Cleveland Garlic Festival: Shaker Square

Ground zero for “all things garlic” in the Midwest, the Fourth Annual Cleveland Garlic Festival in Shaker Square is located just east of downtown Cleveland. Attendees enjoy garlic-themed food prepared by local chefs including everything from ice cream to oysters, an onsite celebrity chef Grill-Off, live music, cooking demonstration, wine tasting, taste and grow tents for children and much more.

www.clevelandgarlicfestival.org

September 14-15 – Village Peddler Festival: Kirtland

More than 175 craftsmen gather in Kirtland each year for the Village Peddler Festival. Guests can experience an outdoor marketplace with folk art, herbs and flowers, pottery and much more. There are also various delicious food selections to choose from as well as folk musicians and wagon rides.

www.villagepeddlerfestival.com

September 21-22 – Tremont Arts & Cultural Festival: Tremont

Celebrate the ethnic and cultural diversity of Tremont by attending the west side Arts & Cultural Festival featuring vendors showcasing fine art, jewelry, sculptures, children's activities, musicians, performers and food from local Tremont restaurants.

www.tremontwest.org

September 21 – Cleveland Dragon Boat Festival

Dozens of teams race in colorfully painted dragon boats along the Cuyahoga River during the Cleveland Dragon Boat Festival, a free annual event celebrating dragon boat history and promotes the people and unique cultures of Cleveland's Asian community.

www.clevelanddragonboatfestival.com

For more information visit www.positivelycleveland.com. 

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 *as long as we aren't talking about crime rates and school quality

**disclaimer: though hotel stay and activity tickets for my family were comp'd by Positively Cleveland, all opinions remain my own. No compensation was received in exchange for this post.**

Leftovers to the Rescue

The snow fell heavily in Illinois yesterday. So for dinner last night, we had chicken soup. Steamy and delicious and made from only what I could find in the house because I was NOT heading back into that snowstorm for food! I love using leftovers to create a second dish, and since Patrick is coming down with the sniffles, chicken soup was a perfect choice. Sadly, I only had the chicken bought fresh and cooked the day before. Everything else in my fridge was purchased before our trip to Florida! That means that the carrots I wanted to put into the pot were probably over 3 weeks old. Were they any good? I was worried and opened the vegetable drawer in my Whirlpool with caution.

Absolutely Fine! I swear to God, the carrots were perfect. I am in a bit of shock, actually. In fact (confession time), I made the kids take a bite of one (can't poison the cook, you know) before I tried one myself and they were still crisp and sweet.

While this is obviously a sponsored post for the Whirlpool refrigerator that I'm writing about this year, it is 100% truth. The produce preserver on our Whirlpool side by side continues to lengthen the usability lifespan of all of our produce. While carrots aren't known to spoil crazily fast, I notice the greatest difference in any of the greens we purchase for salads. They actually seem to be EATEN before they spoil nowadays! This means that I purchase even more because I know it won't go to waste, which means my family is eating healthier as a result.

If you'd like to see more of my reviews of our experience with our Whirlpool refrigerator, you can check out my previous posts HERE or ask away in the comments section! I would be happy to tell you how we feel about it.

*Disclaimer: I will be reviewing this Whirlpool refrigerator for the next year. Though these posts will be sponsored, all opinions and words will be my own

ABC News and Me!

I am thrilled to be cruising the air waves once again; this time on Chicago's ABC midday news! If you are finding me via that site - Welcome! I hope that you find these product reviews helpful and that you'll stick around to check out the rest of my site. If you're reading this as a regular reader, I hope you'll tune into ABC around 11:30 and watch me!!

If you're looking for an interesting baby shower gift, browse through these items and see if one of them is the right fit for your budget and theme. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask in the comments and I will do my best to answer.
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First up is one of my all-time FAVORITE combo items: the Sidekick Child Carrier Backpack by Go Go Babyz.
This truly is unique. It's a bag. It's a carrier. It's a bag AND a carrier all at once! The Sidekick retails for $129 and is available at the GoGoBabyz.com site and national retail stores.As a mom who loved to carry her babies, I can see how this device would have been truly useful. As a mom who currently has no babies to carry (sob), you can picture me, walking around the house, popping a teddy bear in and out, in and out, just to get the feel for the ease of this carrier. While I wouldn't recommend it for your main carrier as I think it might become quite heavy on one shoulder with a toddler and the bag full of diapers/juice/rattles/etc., I do think it makes a FABULOUS emergency carrier. Especially for use in airports, downtown trips, and when you're just caught without a stroller or sling.
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The Peekaru Hoodie is something for every baby-carrying caregiver. With its incredibly soft cotton, and loose design, the hoodie allows for a baby to be cozy and comfortable from inside the safety of your favorite baby carrier.Isn't it cute? It can be worn as a front or back carrier cover and is designed to be comfortable from the temps of about 45-65 Farenheit. It retails for approximately $64 and can be found on Togetherbe.com or locally at Be By Baby! 1654 W. Roscoe Street, Chicago. (773)404-2229.
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A fun addition to today's line up are the silicone bibs by Ulubulu.com. Their styles are adorable and their texture is simply perfect for a little one who wants to lick the last bit of their mashed potatoes and peas from their bib. Super soft. Super squishy. Super Cute!For children ages 6 months and up, the Ulubulu bibs retail for about $8.99.
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Next up are the adorable Leg Ruffles from Huggalugsusa.com(We received some purple and pink Huggalugs, but I have to say that these goldfish ones are my absolute favorite!)

Legruffles are a ruffle-themed legwarmer and armwarmer knitted with a beautiful cotton blend yarn giving a soft, flowing feel. They retail from $12.50-$17.50 with sizes ranging from newborn all the way to tweens and adults! I may have to check into those longer ones for myself, especially on these winter nights...
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I have rarely traveled in the air with a baby. (one of the benefits of having all of your family living in the same state!) However, I have seen many a parent struggle with little ones while in the air. Whether or not you have your baby in your lap or their own seat for take off and landing, there will be many times that you will want to be holding your child in your lap mid-flight. For those times, the Baby B'Air Flight Vest is an award-winning designed device that allows your baby (up to 2 years of age) to safely sleep in your arms and avoid the dangers that turbulence can cause. It retails for $34.95 and can be found on babybair.com or locally at Buy Buy Baby stores in Chicago.
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Next up, these little socks are just the CUTEST.
Aren't they adorable?? One of the best parts of having a baby is the miniature accessories they can wear. And socks that pretend to be shoes?!? Too. Cute. These teeny little socks are available in a variety of styles at Walgreens. Two pairs sell for $4.99 which makes them perfect for a small baby shower gift or baby welcoming gift. You can find all of their styles on zachandchloe.com.
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The Emily Diaper Skin Soother is marketed as the most natural diaper rash cream available as well as the most effective. Made of just 6 ingredients: organic sunflower oil, natural beeswax and 4 natural wildcrafted herbs - frankincense, red peony root, dictamnus root and phellodendron bark. No fragrance, no chemicals, no preservatives, no artificial ingredients of any kind. It is designed to soothe and heal any type of diaper rash or irritation, whether caused by heat, fungus, moisture, bacteria or allergen. Another bonus is that you can use this ointment for a variety of other skin irritations, regardless of whether or not they were caused by a diaper! Retails for $14.00 per 1.8 oz jar. Available online at emilyskinsoothers.com or at various retailers throughout North America.
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Nowadays, a lot of what we do is online. But that doesn't mean that paperwork isn't still a necessary evil. In fact, having hard copies of important documents, (prescriptions, immunizations, birth certificates, etc.) is essential in case your digital copies are compromised.
The Baby Briefcase offers a simple method of organizing all of the random papers that having a baby generates. (And trust me, there's a LOT OF PAPERWORK.) It retails for $29.95 and can be found at babybriefcase.com or at A Pea in the Pod stores in Chicago.
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The Peekaru Ozone is fabulous for any mom who loves to carry her baby in a sling/mei tai/Baby Bjorn/ etc. With 2 simple clips, and a pocket for your baby's feet, the Ozone is a super thin, breathable material that provides your infant from 95% of UVA and UVB rays. It cinches up for the tiny babies and easily lets out to cover the length of a baby up to 2 years of age.
The Peekaru Ozone retails for $44.95 and can be found online at Togetherbe.com or locally at Be By Baby! 1654 W. Roscoe Street, Chicago. (773)404-2229.
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Last but not least are Diaper Buds! What makes DiaperBuds unique? Are they ultra-absorbent? Super comfortable? What makes them so special? Well, they seemed to be great when we tried them on my nephew as far as absorbency and fit. No problems there. And they are a tad on the expensive side when it comes to diapers (about 60 cents a piece in comparison to some other brands that I found for about 20 cents a piece). So WHY would I recommend that you spend a little more on a diaper??
Because Diaper Buds are novel not because of what they DO but because of how they're PACKAGED. They are so tiny! Being vacuum-sealed for freshness also means that these diapers are about the size of a cell phone. Stick a few in your purse and glove compartment and you will NEVER be without an emergency diaper! These make a fantastic gift for a new mom. Diaper Buds can be found online at DiaperBuds.com and also locally at Buy Buy Baby Stores in Chicago.
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Be sure to check in again soon as I may be having some of these items available for giveaways!

Thanks for reading and have a great day!