I am a total autumn & winter gal — but waking up today with the bright sunshine, blue skies and hearing the early-morning chirping of the birds that were out and about definitely put me in a springtime mood!
After visiting the Shedd Aquarium, walk along the lakefront for a couple of blocks & make sure to see Buckingham Fountain! The fountain is turned on in early-April and stays on until late-fall.
We’ve been planning some upcoming outings, especially since the wee girl has her spring break from school in a couple of weeks. They will most definitely include the Chicago lakefront & downtown areas…so many options.
There’s a lovely view of Chicago’s skyline from the terrace of the Shedd Aquarium. We usually pack a lunch and eat outside when the weather permits.
We’re a short car ride or quick train ride from all the wonderful things Chicago has to offer, so we frequent this great city of ours quite regularly. Our 7-year-old has her favorite museums, zoos & aquariums & we’ve held family memberships to several of them for many years — much more cost-effective than paying the admission fees upon each and every visit. Best part is that we get the added benefit of not waiting in the long, general admission lines since we can use the “members” lines instead. It’s also super convenient that two of her favorites happen to be right next door to each other.
We typically visit the Shedd Aquarium in the morning, have lunch and then walk over to The Field Museum for the afternoon.
I’m planning to go more in-depth in future articles about the various museums in the Chicago area, but for now, here’s a taste of a few of our favorite photos from recent visits to the Shedd Aquarium & The Field Museum.
One of my favorite jellyfish photos that I shot at the Shedd Aquarium – they are such mesmerizing creatures!Every kid seems to love “finding Nemo” in the Clownfish (a.k.a. Anemonefish) tanks. This little fellow was a treat to watch last time we were at the Shedd Aquarium.Seahorse is the name given to 54 different species – you’ll find several types at the Shedd Aquarium – they’re all a lot of fun to watch!These little ones were masters at camouflage. They finally swam where we could get a better peek.
After our mornings at the Shedd Aquarium, we head next door to The Field Museum. Kids are so used to being told where to go and what to do, so we typically let our daughter guide the way during our museum excursions and decide which exhibits to see. We’ve found that this decision-making factor during our adventures has been a great way to pique her interest in the exhibits, even from toddlerhood. It’s been cool to see what she gravitates toward during each visit. I’m so glad that we’re raising a museum-lover!
Her favorite exhibit at The Field Museum is the Evolving Planet. This wonderful section takes you through 4 billion years of life on Earth and all of the various Mass Extinctions. Since she was about 18 months old, we cannot tear her away from this area.
Just one of many dino displays – makes every kid (and adult) dream of becoming a paleontologist!Daspletosaurus display at The Field Museum.Close-up shot of the tail of a Triceratops at the Evolving Planet exhibit.I’ve always loved this Charles Darwin quote – proudly displayed in the last room of the Evolving Planet exhibit at The Field Museum. So cool!
Hope you’re planning some fun upcoming adventures with your friends & family! If you’re in the Chicago area, make sure to head to some of our wonderful museums this season. You won’t be sorry!
Skiing. Something I always wanted to do — tried once many moons ago at a local (tiny) hill here in suburban Chicago when I was 16 — quite unsuccessfully as I didn’t learn to stop & ran into a bright orange fence. Was a bit intimidated by it after that, but flash forward to age 40 and I was back on the slopes — having properly learned to stop this time around — and oh, how I’m kicking myself that I hadn’t tried again sooner!
I’ve never been much of a sportsperson. I don’t have an overly competitive personality, summer sports are off the table since I turn into a lobster after 10 minutes (even lathered in sunscreen) and, well, to be honest…I kind of hate to sweat.
Winter sports, though…the perfect match-up for me! You’re outside, the snow landscapes are pretty, you’re wearing layers, it’s nice and cold — and even though some sweating can occur, it’s a totally different ballgame when you have that awesome chill factor to cool you down.
This was the fourth year in a row that we’ve been skiing with our daughter. She’s seven now, and with how much she loves it and how gutsy she is on the slopes, she’ll soon hit runs that I’m not quite ready for myself, though I’ll definitely try my best to keep up with her growing skills.
We put her in ski lessons when she was three (same hill I attempted in 1988 at age 16…and yes, the dreaded orange fence is still there and I’m certain it was mocking me as I walked by). Four Sundays in a row we watched her learn how to “pizza” and “french-fry” — new terms for us as we were still using the antiquated term, “snowplough.” The lessons gave her a great foundation for our first time at a larger hill – this time up in Wisconsin. Mr. The Inspired Parent is an excellent skier so he gave me a crash course in stopping and I mastered the bunny slopes for a bit before we all hit the bigger runs. So much fun! I finally found my sport!
Ever since that day four years ago, I’ve been looking forward to winter even more than normal because it’s SKI TIME!!! I’m planning to review some of the places we’ve skied in future posts, but for now I’ll give you our list of reasons you should totally hit the slopes with your kids. Even if you’ve never gone before — you won’t regret it! There’s still plenty of time for some wonderful spring skiing and you can find some great deals in Colorado and other prime ski areas this time of year!
Seriously. Go for it!!
10. Skiing is a great skill they can carry into adulthood. Definitely get the first-timers in a group or private lesson the first time out — it makes all the difference — but those lessons can start quite early. It’s very common to see three-year-olds out there on the slopes and those little kids sure pick it up quickly. How cool is it that your now-3-year-old can possibly still enjoy skiing when they’re 70 or older?
9. Skiing promotes fun, family bonding. Whether it’s helping the little ones on their first beginner hills or having some one-on-one ski lift chats with your surly teenagers, or enjoying the atmosphere of hanging out at the ski lodge after a day on the slopes, it is such a wonderful experience for everyone! Make those memories!
8. Skiing is great for (almost) all ages & levels. There are almost no limitations when it comes to skiing — practically anyone of any age can do it & there are even plenty of Adaptive Alpine Skiing options for those with disabilities. Throw in the fact that such a wide-range of ages can enjoy this sport and it’s a win-win for family fun!
7. Skiing is a wonderful outing for family/friend gatherings. Looking for your next extended-family reunion? Look into a ski trip! Popular resort areas typically have condominiums for rent which are perfect for larger groups — more space to spread out after a day on the slopes compared with a basic hotel room. Another option is renting a house near the ski area of your choice. Splitting the rental costs with another family or two is a great way to save on lodging and have a spacious place to hang out during your trip. Add in all the ski excitement that everyone will have & what a FUN vacation! For the non-skiers in your group — most ski resorts & ski towns have plenty of cool things to do even if you’re not hitting the slopes. A little bit of something for everyone!
6. Skiing is great for core strength & balance & your mental health. Skiing is a full-body workout – with regular skiing you will most definitely increase your core strength and balance. For kids (and adults) this added strength is great for all sorts of other sports they may enjoy. Add in the fact that it’s a winter sport, it keeps everyone active at a time of year when many people are sedentary. Another plus is that skiing is great for your mental well-being on several different levels. The combination of fresh, outdoor air + the mental stimulation of handling the balance and coordination required by skiing and there are a lot of benefits. Check out this wonderful article from The University of New Hampshire regarding The Benefits of Skiing.
5. Ski slopes are pretty. Everyone’s taste is different when it comes to natural beauty, but ski areas are generally quite beautiful…the trees, fluffy white snow on gorgeous mountains…breathtaking! Our daughter adores going on the ski lifts since she can “see everything that is beautiful and it’s so relaxing.” Enough said.
4. Skiing is a family tradition that can be passed on through the generations. My father-in-law was a skier. He passed in 2004, four years before our daughter was born. We see a lot of him in her — their interests and personalities are similar in so many ways, even though she never met him in person. Skiing was something he adored and we know he would be thrilled that we’re passing on this love of hitting the slopes so she can carry on that tradition. We’ll do our best to go at least once a year (hopefully more) every year with her…she took to skiing so easily and loves it. We’re sure that his DNA ski-gene is at play. 😉
3. Ski (& snowboard) kids are nice! We’ve encountered a ton of kids on the slopes over these last several years. There’s something about the kids who ski & snowboard — they all seem really, really nice. I’m sure there are exceptions, but as cheesy as it sounds, it’s honestly what we’ve noticed & commented on every single time we’ve gone skiing. There’s a level of respect that seems to go hand-in-hand with the sport. Even the groups of tweens & teens who are hanging out together (without their parents) on the slopes have been a joy to be around & I love that our daughter looks up to these bigger, polite, respectful kids. It makes skiing that much more enjoyable.
2. Skiing is a major confidence booster. Our daughter was a very hesitant toddler – didn’t want to climb on things or go on the bigger slides or try anything she felt was “scary.” We put her in gymnastics/tumbling when she was three to help her get over her fears (we were starting to worry that she’d get hurt on the playground playing with the bigger kids since she was so hesitant about every little thing). That helped her a bit, but WOW did skiing make all the difference. Our hesitant little kid, for whatever reason, is not hesitant at all when it comes to skiing. The faster and steeper the hill, the more she shouts “woo-hoooooo!!!!!!!!!” Seeing her try something challenging and the confidence she gets from it is amazing. She is so proud after we’ve been skiing – she even keeps her lift ticket attached to her coat for a while after each ski outing so when people ask about it, she can tell them all about her latest ski adventures. I love that after four seasons of skiing, it still has this noticeable confidence-boosting affect on her.
1. Witnessing their sheer glee and joy and hearing “woo-hoooo!!!!” when they throw their arms in the air at the bottom of a stellar ski run…priceless!
Nothing like hearing “woo-hoo!!” at the bottom of a successful run!
It finally snowed today in the Chicago area. Just a dusting, but I’ll take it — glad it actually (finally) looks a bit like winter. It’s been warmer lately and as a total snow girl, I’ve missed seeing the fluffy stuff.
Between Christmas and New Year’s, we picked one of our rare-for-this-year’s snowy days to head over to The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois to see their Illuminations display. This was our second year that we attended the Illuminations festivities & it is a wonderfully fun way to get out and about for a picturesque nature walk.
Entrance for Illuminations typically starts at 5 p.m. The line is usually pretty long at that time so waiting until 5:30 or 6 p.m. may be a bit easier. Once you’ve parked the car and are at the Guest Center, the actual Illuminations walk is approximately one mile long. The paths are wheelchair & stroller accessible. There are a couple of “warming houses” throughout the walk where you can take a break and purchase snacks & hot beverages. Remember to bring your camera and have some fun capturing the lights!
As a photographer, I always have blast to working with nighttime shots. This year I kept things simple as we were expecting it to be fairly crowd-heavy that night since we went during the holiday week, so I left my tripod at home. All of these shots were taken with a Nikon D600 using my “nifty 50” Nikkor 50mm/1.4G lens.
Enjoy the shots! A few will be available in the near future as fine art prints through my TurtleBug Photography site.
Loved the lights on this one. The sky was back-lit from the tollway in the distance. Sort of a haunted fall-meets-winter look.
Oops…someone dropped some rather large ornaments all over the field…
One of my favorite shots of the night – total Dr. Who lights.
While the other photo reminded me of Dr. Who, this one reminds me of Harry Potter. I solemnly swear I am up to no good.
Loved, loved, loved seeing the lights shining through the trees.
Nighttime tree shots are always fun when converted to black & white.
Another stunning example of nature’s wonders.
We’re so very glad The Morton Arboretum started hosting this event each year – it truly is a magical way to spend a winter evening!
The lights on some of the trees changes colors every few minutes – I liked the blues & greens during this color cycle.
Shooting from across the pond, I feel like we’ve somehow ended up in Miami. hahaha
There are lots of fun, interactive displays as well – you can “conduct” the light orchestra, hug a tree to make it change colors, and even sing to the trees to make the lights move to the rhythm of your voice.
Back at the main Guest Center.
Once you’ve had all the fun you can have meandering through the forest lights, you’ll head back to The Morton Arboretum’s main Guest Center where they have a wonderful shop full of unique, nature-related gifts as well as a great restaurant area. This year they also had different food & beverage kiosks outside, too.
If you’re in the Chicagoland area, be sure to head over to see Illuminations when it re-opens in early-December — bundle up, put on those snow pants and get into nature! Details for this next year’s Illuminations display will be available in mid-fall via The Morton Arboretum.
We’ve been fans of Chef Rick Bayless for many years. His long-running TV show Mexico: One Plate at a Timehas been a family favorite of ours — it is not only informative about regional Mexican cuisine, but also teaches various cooking techniques that we’ve incorporated into our daily lives. Season after season, we’re still learning as we watch. We’re also huge fans of his wonderful restaurants here in Chicago — Topolobompo and Frontera Grill are both phenomenal.
We were overdue for a visit so we headed downtown for the Saturday brunch at Frontera Grill to celebrate my husband’s birthday. Awesome food as usual!
Frontera Grill opens at 10:30 a.m. on Saturdays and we made reservations ahead of time since we know the line can get quite long. We arrived a bit early and took advantage of walking around the city for a bit. Our six-year-old got a kick out of watching the boats sailing by on this unseasonably warm, late-autumn morning.
Tourists cruising along the Chicago River past Marina Towers
Frontera Grill – 445 North Clark Street Chicago, IL 60654-4682
After our brief walking adventure, we arrived back at Frontera just as they were opening – we were seated immediately and our daughter had a blast coloring the cool Mexican-art-inspired sheet they gave to her to pass the time.
Food choices for this particular trip did not disappoint (they never do — we’ve always had great experiences here).
Our starters included side dishes of the Frontera Hot Cakes – Three Sisters Garden corn pancakes with whipped goat cheese & one of the best maple syrups we’ve ever had.
Our other starter was a side dish of the Jicama Street Snack (jicama/pineapple/cucumber salad with fresh lime and crushed guajillo chile… WOW)! The serving size was way larger than we expected and was a combination of chilled yumminess. We all fought over the last bite. The six-year-old won.
Jicama Street Snack
Onto the entrees – I had the Yellow Mole Enchiladas. Holy “Mole” these were great! Fresh corn tortillas with a wonderful filling of braised kale, turnip & mustard greens and topped with an Oaxacan amarillo mole sauce. The dish was served with a side of black beans & topped with crispy onions.
Yellow Mole Enchiladas
The birthday boy chose the Sopitos – three Xalapa-style corn masa cakes each with a different topping – scrambled eggs on one, grilled chicken on another and chorizo & plantains on the third. Topping things off with the chipotle – black bean sauce and wow!
Sopitos – awesomeness!
The wee girl selected the Quesadillas with Rice. We also ordered a bowl of black beans for her, too. Not your run-of the-mill quesadillas by any stretch – more of a turnover pillow of cheesy goodness. Regarding the beans, her quote was “wow, Chef Bayless sure knows how to cook awesome black beans!”
Kids’ Quesadillas & Rice
Add to the mix the unbelievably awesome Mexican Hot Chocolate we had…seriously, we could drink gallons of this lovely stuff…and our next visit can’t come soon enough!
Mexican Hot Chocolate – yum!
The bar area when you first walk in & the display of some of Rick’s wonderful cookbooks other products available for purchase.
If you love traditional Mexican food, great service & a relaxed atmosphere, be sure to make time for a visit to Frontera Grill the next time you are in the Chicago area – you may even see Chef Bayless while you’re there. For a fancier experience, check out Topolobompo – both restaurants share the same main entrance at 445 North Clark Street Chicago, IL 60654-4682. Reservations recommended: (312) 661-1434
