A Day Trip to Shedd Aquarium

Last Friday, two friends and I loaded up the minivan with three two-year-olds, their car seats, plenty of snacks, and way too many toy trains, and drove down to Chicago for a visit to the Shedd Aquarium. Growing up, we always took an annual trip to Shedd that I looked forward to every single year. As a kid, I remember the visits being almost magical and I was so excited to continue this tradition with Callum. 

If you're just here for a quick recap, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of this post and watch a video of the day.

This was Callum's second time at Shedd. The last time we were there, he was just over a year old and was still just a little too tiny to get much out of it. This time, I knew he would have a blast.

We left Milwaukee around 9:00 AM on Friday morning, and hit just a little bit of traffic. I always get a little nervous about the drive, but it really is a cinch. The boys got a little antsy towards the end, but it was nothing a sing-along couldn't solve. Parking was easy, too. There's a large lot just down the street from Shedd, and is reasonably priced (for Chicago) at $20 for the day. Since there's a large staircase leading up to the front door of the Shedd, there is a separate entrance designated for strollers and handicap accessibility. I will take advantage of this entrance for as long as possible. The lines are much shorter than the main entrance, making getting in a breeze.

The second we walked in to the aquarium, the boys went crazy. They were able to run right up to the tanks and get a first-hand look right inside. I spend lots of times at museums and zoos picking Callum up to look inside, so I very much appreciate it when he's able to see everything without me breaking my back.

The main floor of the Shedd features a number of smaller corridors, with the large Caribbean Reef tank in the center. The smaller sections definitely made it easier to let Callum roam around while still keeping a close eye on him. It's also the perfect set-up when you're with a group: Everyone can move around at their own pace, but you're never too far away from each other.

We spent a lot of time watching all the creatures in the large Caribbean Reef in the center of the main floor. The huge tank is home to stingrays, small sharks, eels, and a large sea turtle, Nickel. At certain times throughout the day, you can watch a diver feed the animals and listen to a presentation on the exhibit. We parked the strollers right in front for the dive, and we were able to watch while the boys enjoyed a snack.

The boys all-time favorite part of the visit was the Polar Play Zone on the bottom level. In the Play Zone, the boys were able to touch star fish and other sea creatures, pretend to be penguins in a giant play center (Check the video below to see Callum as a dancing penguin.), explore a submarine, and really just run like crazy. Toddler heaven.

My all-time favorite was the underwater viewing of the dolphins and the beluga whales. It was so peaceful watching the dolphins glide back and forth under the water. I could've stayed there all day, but unfortunately the boys had other plans.

The aquatic show is also a must-see at the Shedd. It can get quite crowded in the amphitheater, but I don't think there's a bad seat in the space. The show gives a ton of insight in to how the dolphins, and other animals at Shedd, are cared for and trained. The dolphins also have the chance to show off their jumping skills. The next time we go, I'll think we'll try to watch the last show of the day and avoid some of the school groups that are there earlier.

Our last stop of the day was a quiet stroll through the amphibian exhibit. It was totally empty except for us. This exhibit was also perfectly eye-level for the boys in the stroller. 

I'm not sure how, but we all managed to make it for more than four hours at the aquarium. Considering naps were skipped and there was lots of walking, the boys did a great job going with the flow and enjoying everything along the way. It just goes to show what a perfect place the Shedd is for the whole family. If you're a Milwaukee mom looking for a fun adventure to take with your kids, definitely make it a trip to Shedd. It will be a day both you and your kids will remember for a long time.

Thanks for an unbelievable day, Shedd! We'll definitely be back soon. Be sure to watch the video below to see the boys in their element at the Shedd. And, don't leave until you watch Callum dancing in a penguin suit around the 3:30 mark. Seriously. My crazy kid dancing in a penguin suit.

Sesame Street Live: A Review of Make a New Friend

Yesterday morning, we took a trip down to the Milwaukee Theatre to see Sesame Street Live. You guys. It was so much fun! The show was so happy and upbeat, we all left just feeling so great on our Sesame Street high. I thought I would find the music sort of obnoxious or just down right annoying, but it was not at all! The songs and story were so great, and left us smiling for the rest of the day.

The show, Make a New Friend, followed all the Sesame Street favorites as they welcomed Grover's new friend, Chamki, from India. The concept was perfect and a good reminder for everyone in the audience: No matter where you're from or who you are, everyone is special and deserves to be treated as such. They all celebrated and shared their cultural differences through fun songs and dance. They talked so much about being nice and welcoming to new friends that you meet, including everyone as you play. Also, the story line touched on how scary it can be to make new friends and how everyone feels a little shy at first. I wish the real world was a lot more like Sesame Street and we all just celebrated our differences through song and dance. (It would definitely make this upcoming election year so much more exciting.)

When the show started, I'm not sure who was more excited: me or Callum. It was so fun to see Elmo, Grover, Big Bird, and, my personal favorite, The Count break out in song and dance with the first number. And, then, they started walking in to the audience and I almost lost it. Seriously, it was so fun. Callum was in heaven, too. He clapped and danced the entire time! His eyes did not leave the stage. The dancers were so amazing! I can't imagine dancing the way they did in those costumes. But, they were beyond! Pretty sure I caught a whip-nae-nae or two along the way.

And, the music! The music was so much fun. We ended up leaving with the soundtrack, because  I honestly wanted to listen to all the songs again. (And, at just $10, I thought it was the perfect show souvenir.) My personal favorite was "Moves like Bert," which parodied Maroon 5's "Moves like Jagger." Seriously. It was so cute.

The show was 90 minutes long, with a 15 minute intermission, which was just long enough for Callum. We brought a few snacks, too, which helped to occupy him for the final few minutes. Even if you are worried about your child being able to sit through the show, just remember that there is always a kid or two a few rows away that is way more obnoxious than your child will be. I promise. Everyone's in it together.

Since the show, all Callum has been asking for is Elmo and Chamki. He's been carrying the CD pamphlet from the soundtrack everywhere and talking about all the characters in it. I think it's safe to say he really had a good time. 

All in all, we very much enjoyed Sesame Street Live's Make a New Friend. It was such a good family outing, and definitely a good learning experience for Callum. I know there will be many, many opportunities in the future for us to use Make a New Friend as a good reminder for how to treat your friends. We will definitely be attending any future Sesame Street Live Shows in Milwaukee.

And, until then, we'll be dancing our butts off to the soundtrack. If you need me, I'll be doing my best to learn the moves like Bert. 

(To keep on eye on future show dates, or, if you're not in the Milwaukee area, to find an upcoming show near you, be sure to check out the Sesame Street Live website for shows and dates.)

Friday Favorites {19}

Happy Friday, errrrrrbody! Who's ready for the weekend? *Hand-raised!!!!*

Matt has been beyond busy at work, so I know we're all looking forward to just spending time together as a family. We're planning on visiting Santa, checking out some holiday lights, and having a Friendsgiving with some of our favorite people.

By the by, be sure to check the blog on Monday morning. I'll be holding a giveaway for all you Milwaukee Moms with little ones that you're not going to want to miss. Here's a hint: Elmo!

To celebrate the start of another weekend, here are some of my favorites from this week. Check it, check it out!

1. Last week, I saw a post on Instagram from Homey Oh My!, where she shared a simple idea for making garland to use for wrapping Christmas presents. She used bakers twine and a star hole punch to make this super cute and simple garland gift wrap. I loved the way it turned out, and it was so easy! I found the twine at Target in the dollar spot, and just used computer paper for the stars. Callum even helped punching out the stars. You can find the instructions here.

2. Last week, my friend and neighbor, Alyson, hosted a Downton Abbey tea party. Yes, a DOWNTON ABBEY TEA PARTY! Sorry to yell, but it was really that awesome. She had the cutest table set up, served us delicious scones, and we even left with some tea and a Downton Abbey mug. If you're in to Downton, check out her blog post about the party. She's giving away an adorable Downton Abbey prize pack.

3. I made this Copycat Colectivo Baked Oatmeal this week and it was a huge hit in our house! I mixed it all up the night before, and then just baked it in the morning. Super simple, and everyone ate it. Win, win. I will definitely be keeping this in mind the next time we have people staying at our house. It's one of those recipes that seems like it was a lot of work, but was actually very easy and quick.

4. I was sent this sippy cup from Tervis, and it has immediately turned in to Callum's favorite. You guys. It is so durable. And, it is the perfect cup for when Callum insists on drinking without a cover on the top (which is most of the times these days since he's smack dap in the middle of that twonanger stage). Plus, there's bulldozer on it. #boyswillbeboys

5. Yesterday, I hosted a little cookie decorating party at my house for some friends and their little ones. It was such a great time! There were sprinkles everywhere, and Callum ate his weight in frosting, but I wouldn't have changed a thing. The kids had such a blast making a mess, and I so enjoyed talking and drinking coffee with some of my favorite moms. It was such a great morning!

If you're looking for some fun stuff to do this weekend in Milwaukee, check these out:

• Donuts and Cocoa with Santa at Elm Grove Art (We'll be there!)
• Holiday Lites at Miller Coors 
• Make Your Own Gingerbread House at the Center Street Library
• Breakfast and Lunch with Santa at the Milwaukee County Zoo

Have a great weekend everybody! Only two more weeks until Christmas!

Milwaukee Trainfest

Callum has always been obsessed with things that go: cars, airplanes, construction vehicles, and, especially, trains. He could seriously watch them all day long if we let him, and I am always amazed with how long he can play with a train table.

So, when we found out Trainfest was happening this past weekend, we knew it was something we absolutely had to make time for. Trainfest, which happens at State Fair Park each year, is the largest operating model railroad show. In addition to all the model railroads at Trainfest, there is also a huge kids' activity zone.

When we walked in, Callum was completely mesmerized. He just wanted to stop and watch everything. So, that's what we did. I was really nervous about him wanting to touch all of the model railroads and breaking something that costs as much as my car, but he seemed to totally understand that the model railroads were just for looking at. There were even a few models that included buttons he could push to do things like open doors and turn on lights. Pro tip: If you go next year, bring a step-stool for your kid to stand on. We saw so many other families with them, and it was such a good idea! Matt's arms would've been a lot less tired.

The Kids' Activity Zone was way in the back of the Expo Center. It took us quite some time to make our way back there (and even longer to make out way out), but Callum definitely did not mind. He was too busy looking at all of the train layouts on the way there. The Kid's Zone was absolutely amazing! If we would've had an issue with Callum wanting to touch all the trains, we would've just beelined it right to the kids' area.

There was a large train for kids to ride, a ton of train tables, a train-themed music show and story time, tracks where kids could race trains, and even a make 'n take table where kids could make their own model railroad building. Even if your kids aren't train-obssesed, they'll still enjoy all of the different activities. I mean, who doesn't love a train ride?

Around lunch time, Matt and I were just sitting by the train tables watching Callum play. He was totally zoned in and focused. He could've played for hours. Seriously. Matt and I were joking around about leaving and coming back later. He would've had no idea. Since it was getting close to nap time, we had to laugh at all the kids having meltdowns as their parents dragged them away from the train tables. Being tired and told "no" does not bode well for kids.

After probably 45 minutes of playing, we had to pry Callum away from the tables. We were anticipating being those parents dragging their screaming kid away, but, thankfully, Callum left peacefully.

In hindsight, I wish we would've stayed for a few more hours. We were planning on getting Callum home for his nap, but he was too wound up from all the trains to sleep. I know Callum could've easily spent the rest of the day there. He had the time of his life and hasn't stopped talking about Trainfest since we left. 

Next year, we will for sure be back. Thanks, Trainfest, for such a fun day!

Friday Favorites {13}

Happy Friday, peeps.

This week, I finally feel like I'm ready for fall. I'm not sure what happened, but all of a sudden I've fully submerged myself in to sweaters and all things pumpkin spice. This weekend, I look forward to doing just that.

In usual Friday fashion, here are a few of my favorites from this week.

1. I've been searching all summer for the perfect jean romper. I'm not entirely sure why this quest started, but I know I thought it would be the perfect thing to wear for summer days chasing Callum around. But, every one I came across had something wrong with it: the price, the fit, not as comfy as I imagined. Anyways, it's been quite the roller coaster. ;) Until this week, that is! I stopped in to Forever 21 for a couple pairs of leggings, and came across this jean romper on the sales rack. It was love at first sight. The color was perfect. The fit was perfect. And, it had pockets! Triple win. I just wish I had found it earlier in the summer. I'll probably wear it every day until the temperature drops below 70.

Wasn't that a thrilling story? Thanks for putting up with me.

2. How excited were you guys for fall TV to come back? Between that and the romper, this has been one epic week. I'm a big fan of Nashville, The Mindy Project (which is now on Hulu), How to Get Away With Murder, and Scandal. And, I'll tell you one more thing if you promise to never hold it against me: I LOVE DANCING WITH THE STARS! Whew. It feels good to get that off my chest.

I did check out a couple new series. Obviously the Muppets, and it was as perfect as you would expect. I also watched Ryan Murphy's new horror comedy, Scream Queens. I thought it was great! It reminded me so much of the movie, Jawbreaker. I'm usually not a horror fan, but it's all so over the top that it's hardly believable. Check it out if you're looking for a new show to get sucked in to.

3. I've been meaning to share this for a while, but it keeps slipping my mind. Sorry, I've been holding out on you. I'd like to introduce you to the best Tumblr site known to man: It's Like They Know Us. This Tumblr takes various ads or stock photos with families in them and puts the best captions ever on them. Because, let's face it, most of them are so ridiculous. Here are a few of my favorites. You can also find them on Facebook. Happy scrolling!

4. In case you missed the other bazillion times I mentioned it, Mke Moms Blog launched this week. My favorite post there this week was from contributor Laura, What Really Matters. She talks about how difficult it can be to remember what the important things are on a daily basis. Where should I be focusing my energy? It's easy to tell your kids you'll be with them once you finish the dishes. But, dirty dishes don't matter. Those moments playing with your kids do. Anyways, Laura put a few Post-Its around her house with the phrase "What matters?" to remind herself to think about it daily. I love this! As soon as I read it, I slapped one of those notes on my fridge. Check out Laura's full post. My little explanation here did not do it justice.

5. Finally, our favorite Milwaukee duo, Fox & Branch will be playing at Anodyne Coffee in Walker's Point this Sunday morning. We love these shows! They are free to attend; Callum loves, loves, loves them; and Matt and I can sit and drink coffee. They are the best. Not to mention, the music is actually enjoyable. If you're looking for something to do Sunday morning, check it out. We'll be there!

A few other amazing things happening this weekend in Milwaukee:

• Chili'n on the Hill in East Tosa
• Barktoberfest in Estabrook Park
• Oktoberfest in Glendale

Have a wonderful weekend!

Friday Favorites {11}

This weekend is my last one as a mom of a 1-year-old. Monday, my sweet boy will be two. I just can't even. I'm already a ball of emotions just thinking about it. The highlight of the weekend for us will be his birthday party tomorrow. We're going with the ever-popular "digger" theme. I promise to share lots of photos.

I also just have to mention that I've been thinking a lot this morning about everyone who lost their lives 14 years ago today. I had a chance to visit the 9/11 Memorial in NYC a few years ago, and I was so overwhelmed with emotion by it all. Words just can't describe. Today will be a day I will never forget.

Alright, now that I'm feeling all emotional, let's move on to some light stuff.

1. You guys. This video of guys trying liquid eyeliner is great. I've probably watched it ten times and laugh harder every single time. "Is it supposed to connect with my eyebrow?" The eyeliner struggle is so real. (Just a heads up, there's a little profanity. So, if that's not your thing. Skip it.)

2. A few weeks ago, I saw on Pinterest a color matching activity for toddlers using paint chips and clothes pins. Callum loves playing with clothes pins, so I had a feeling this would be right up his alley! We had to run to the hardware store and I finally remembered to grab paint chips. I used an old piece of plexiglass we already had around the house to hot glue the paint chips to. Then, I just added a small square of the colors to different clothes pins. It probably took 10 minutes to put together. Callum loves it! I'm not sure he understands the whole matching the colors thing yet, but he loves trying to open the clothes pins.

3. On Tuesday, I attended the kickoff party for the MKE Moms Blog contributors at Screaming Tuna. It was such a great time and it was so awesome to meet all the other mommas on this wonderful team. The website is scheduled to launch September 21, so follow along if you're not already. This is going to be huge for moms in the Milwaukee area. One of my favorite things about the MKE Moms Blog is that, in addition to an online community, we're also going to strive to build real-life relationships with moms in Milwaukee. Keep an eye out for the first event, open to all moms in the area, this October.

4. Milwaukeeans, peep this list: 50 Things You Need to Eat in Milwaukee Before You Die. I've got a lot of work to do. My only complaint: Kopp's custard did not make the list. It should definitely be there.

5. Last night, I attended the private preview party for the new Milwaukee-area Container Store. It was insane. It was like a wedding: great band, open bar, lots of food. It was such a blast. I went with Alyson from Alyson M (a neighbor and another MKE Moms Blog contributor) and Sarah, one of the founders of MKE Moms. I could not be more thrilled about the addition of the Container Store to the Milwaukee area. Time to organize all the things!

Cheers to the weekend!

A trip to Milwaukee's Boerner Botanical Gardens

Last Tuesday, Callum and I met up with Keila from Mommy in Milwaukee and her adorable boys for an afternoon at Milwaukee's Boerner Botanical Gardens. You guys. This place is a total Milwaukee gem, and I feel like it is so often forgotten about. I probably haven't been there in 20 years, which is crazy, because everything about this place is amazing. The whole time we were there it was just one breath-taking view after another.

Admission to the gardens is free the first Tuesday of every month, which was our main motivation for going. I love me some free stuff. The day turned out to be exceptionally warm, and it was also the first day of school for most of the kids in Southeastern Wisconsin, so the place was basically empty. Our boys were able to run around and just be toddlers. They had a blast checking out all the fish in the fountains, and Keila and I had a great time snapping photos while also trying to make sure the kids didn't pick every flower in sight or fall into the water. It was a success on all fronts.

The gardens close for the season in October, so get there while you can. And, don't forget your camera.

Boerner Botanical Gardens: we will back soon. Very, very soon.

Toddler Activity: Dish Soap Foam

Last week, I was looking at a plan-free morning and needed an easy activity for Callum. So, I did what any other mom would do, and turned to Pinterest for some ideas. I came across this quick and easy recipe for a foam made from just three things: dish soap, water, and cornstarch.

First off, I should note, if your toddler is still putting everything in their mouth: This is NOT a good activity for you to try. This is definitely not something you want your kid eating a ton of. Although this will work with any old dish soap, I would also try to use a natural dish soap, such as Better Life Dish It Out or Planet Ultra, just to be on the safe side.

Alright, on to the foam. It could honestly not get any easier to make. In your stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), add 1 cup soap, 1 cup water, and a teaspoon of cornstarch. Then, all you have to do is turn your mixer on and let it whip the mixture away until the mix resembles a foam. Callum is all about helping in the kitchen and watching the mixer. So, since this is such a simple "recipe," it's such a good one for him to help out with.

Once the mixture was all foamy, I just took the bowl outside and let Callum go crazy. He loved it! He started just squishing it between his fingers. But, before I knew it, he was rubbing it all over his arms and legs. He also liked scooping out piles of it to create little mounds of it on the ground. He was enjoying the foam so much, we ended up mixing up a second bowl of it.

I had to join in on the fun, too. I must say, the foam really did feel amazing. Once all of it was spilled on the ground, we were walking around in it, too. It was a total spa treatment for my feet. ;)

For clean up, I would recommend getting your toddler into the bath tub when you're done. You don't need dish soap residue all over everything. Obviously kitchen clean up is super easy since you just need to rinse out the mixet. Soooooo much easier than cleaning paint off of everything or picking up hundreds of dry noodles.

Overall, I would call this toddler activity a huge success. We had everything we needed for it already around the house, it kept Callum entertained for quite some time, and clean up was a cinch. I'll for sure be filing this one away for another day when we're looking for something to do.

Tell me: What's your favorite activity for keeping your toddler entertained?

Our summer bucket list

There's nothing sweeter than summertime in Milwaukee. The sunshine. The festivals. The food. It is by far my favorite time of year. But, it also turns into the busiest time of year with all the plans we make. And, before we know it, we're staring Labor Day right in the eyes.

To help me make the most of Summer 2015, I thought I'd jot down a few ideas for stuff I'd like to do or accomplish this summer. Most are things I want to do. Some are things I don't want to do, but need to get done anyways. I'll revisit this list at the end of September to see everything the Olson's managed to pack in to these next few months.

Here's to a great Summer 2015!

1. Make a pizza on the grill.

2. Take Callum to the airport and watch planes take off and land.

3. Paint our guest room. It's currently bright blue. It's so bad. Beyond bad.

4. Eat our way through State Fair.

State Fair 2014

5. Swim and build sand castles at Bradford Beach.

6. Run a 5K in sub-7 minute miles. (My current 5K PR was run in 7:02 miles.)

7. Keep Callum up way past his bedtime for fireworks. Deal with the consequences.

8. Make homemade ice cream.

9. Go fishing and eat our catch.

10. Work towards potty training Callum. I realize this is a loft goal for someone who turns two this September. But, we've had one pee in the potty already, and he shows so much interest in the toilet. So, go big or go home. 

11. Since we're really shooting for the moon now, I'll drop this bomb, too: Eliminate the nay nay. (That's what Callum calls his pacifier.) Pray for me.

12. Family Brewers game and tail gate.

13. Take George, our one-year-old lab, swimming in the lake.

14. Have a picnic dinner at Jazz in the Park. Followed by dancing our hearts out.

15. Try a new restaurant. We're really good at just counting on the old stand bys.

16. Ride our bikes (with Callum in the Burley) whenever we can.

17. Go strawberry picking.

18. Relax. Breath. And just enjoy.

Did I miss anything? Tell me: What do you want to this summer?

Father's Day Gift Idea: Handprint Baseball

Hey peeps. Happy Tuesday to ya. Hope you're having a spectacular day so far. Today is one of my days at home with Callum, and his friend, Ollie, is hanging out with us for the day, too. It's been a pretty busy morning so far.

We did a little building. And a lot of fighting over who had the hammer.

And, we filled a little pool in the backyard. It's supposed to get up to 85 this afternoon, and I'm hoping it will be warm enough for them to get in after their nap. Although, they both got soaked just filling the pool and neither seemed to mind the icy water. (Hence the shirtless Ollie.)

Cutest pool boy eva. Eva. Eva.

Father's Day Gift Idea: Handprint Baseball

I also wanted to share this cute Father's Day gift that Callum and I were working on for Matt earlier in the week. (Don't worry. I have faith that Matt won't check this blog until after Father's Day.)

Matt loves, loves, loves baseball. I know he dreams of the day that he can play ball with Callum. He already enjoys taking him to Brewers games whenever he can and he's convinced that he can turn our right-handed son into a left-handed pitcher.

We have a ton of old baseballs lying around the house from Matt's glory days. *Cough* Highschool. *Cough* So, when I saw this Father's Day gift idea on Pinterest, I knew it would be perfect. All you'll need is an old baseball, some paint, a paintbrush, and your kid's hand (probably the most difficult supply to harness down.)

I set everything up outside, thinking we'd make a huge mess. It really wasn't too messy, just be sure you have wet paper towels or a rag ready for immediately after you put the handprint on the ball. Once Callum realized the paint was on his hand, he wanted to touch everything.

I used a red acrylic paint and simply painted Callum's hand with a thin coat. Then, I stretched his hand over the ball and said a quick prayer that all would turn out alright. Our first attempt wasn't the greatest. I tried to wash the paint off the ball, but it still left a pretty bad stain. So, I just grabbed another one from our stash and tried again. If you only have one baseball, you might want to be a little more careful on the first try than we were.

After we had a hand print that we liked, I filled in the print in a few spots that were a little lighter. Another good idea is to have a small bowl that you can put the baseball in to dry. Obviously, the ball will roll if it's not resting on something, and you won't be able to hold it since you'll be trying to stop your toddler from touching everything with his painted hand.

After the paint was dry, I wrote "Callum 2015" on the top of the baseball. On the sides, I wrote "Happy Father's Day" and "Dad's Little Slugger."

I'm planning on adding this to a little gift basket with a six pack of craft beer, peanuts, cracker jacks, and a Brewers T-shirt. I know Matt will love it.

Are you planning on making anything for your baby daddy this Father's Day? I'd love to hear your ideas!