Tip of the Week: Favors with Flair

As a mother, I have spent hours trying to come up with creative goodie bag
favors for my daughter's themed birthday parties. Yet like most mothers, I
know that we wind up throwing out these same toys from friends' parties the
minute our children have forgotten about them. So how can we find favors
that are fun, memorable and useful?

Problem solved! For my daughter's next party, I'm going to turn to
www.Frecklebox.com, <http://www.frecklebox.com/> which offers personalized
stickers in a variety of party themes, such as Pirate or Princess! Each
party attendee will go home with three sheets of personalized party
stickers. The first dozen of the same design is $3.95, and each dozen after
that is $2. I'm also a huge fan of their personalized place mats and
coloring books! Now that's what I call creative, and I'm confident my mom
friends will appreciate the effort!

Tip of the Week: A New Place to Play!

http://www.fieldmuseum.org/
http://www.fieldmuseum.org/playlab/ (if you want a more specific link)

The new Crown Family PlayLab at the Field Museum offers six themed play areas, adding even more kid appeal to a place already packed with exhibits that will pique your child’s curiosity and imagination. Family restrooms, an eating area, stroller parking, a “book nook” and infant play zones help make the PlayLab a haven for parents, too.

Here are a few PlayLab highlights for your children:

Babies: Little music-lovers will enjoy hearing Japanese taiko drums and playing elephant bells from India in the PlayLab’s Rhythm Section.

Toddlers & Pre-K: Kids this age will go crazy digging for dinosaur bones, making rubbings of real fossils and becoming a “Jr. Paleontologist” in the Dino Field Station.

To plan your visit:

The Field Museum
1400 S. Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60605-2496
312-922-9410

Hours: The museum is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, and the Crown Family PlayLab’s hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the last admission at 3 p.m. The museum sometimes closes early; call ahead or check the Web site before you go: http://www.fieldmuseum.org/

Parents with strollers should use the wheelchair-accessible east entrance. The museum also rents strollers.

Tip of the Week: Quick n' Tasty Dinner!

It is no secret that I am a terrible cook! I lack the patience, but as
a working mother, I also lack the time.  I am always looking for easy
but delicious shortcuts in the kitchen. The following is a quick but
yummy recipe for days when you just can’t do it all!

Salsa Wraps
In skillet, brown chicken breast pieces in olive oil. When chicken is
cooked through, add salsa. Shred chicken in the salsa and layer
mixture on warmed tortillas with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, sliced
avocado, and sour cream. Fold tortilla and enjoy!

Tip of the Week: A Moment to Yourself!

As a mother, I realize that finding time for yourself can be nearly
impossible! Schedule a date with yourself and curl up to Best-selling
authors Trisha Ashworth and Amy Nobile's second book "I'd Trade My
Husband for a Housekeeper: Loving Your Marriage after the Baby
Carriage".

The title alone may ring a chord with most mothers, but it is inside
its pages where the authors offer a very honest account of how
marriage is affected by children. By interviewing hundreds of mothers
and fathers the authors were able to create a well-rounded perspective
on whether such a thing as blissful marriage after children exists.
This book examines the challenges of parenthood for married couples
today, and gives hope to mothers that balancing a loving marriage and
children is possible!

Tip of the Week: A Place to Explore!

The Museum of Science and Industry is a place children love to explore!
Toddlers will be fascinated by the Transportation Gallery, where they'll see
a full-size airplane and watch model trains zoom by. Visit the Baby Chick
Hatchery and the Farm Tech exhibit, where adventuresome toddlers can crawl
into a tractor and pretend to take it for a spin. And your little princess
will be enchanted by Colleen Moore’s Fairy Castle!

If you're looking for more of a hands-on experience, go to the Idea Factory
where children ages 10 and younger can experiment with construction
materials, simple machines, light, color, magnetism, balance, air and water.

And here's something that will make your visit even more fun: The Museum of
Science and Industry has several free admission days coming up -- April 22,
June 1-5 and June 19.  

Mommy Mingler: Stories n' Snacks!

Hello Triple B Members,

I'd like to invite you to attend our March Mommy Mingler!  We will be
meeting fellow Triple B members and their children to join us at Barnes
and Noble at the intersection of Clybourn and Webster for story time!
After story time, we can cross the street and have a bite to eat at
Potbelly's!  I hope you will join us!  This is a great way to meet
members from other Triple B groups!

When: Thursday,March 26th
Time: 9:30 (Please come early, as it gets crowded.  Story time begins at
10:00am.)
Where: Barnes and Noble (Intersection of Clybourn and Webster Avenue)
Who: Triple B Members and their children.  Friends are welcome too!
Cost: Free
Parking: There is a lot with validated parking with a purchase or metered
street parking is usually available.

Please RSVP to kim@bubblesacademy.com!  Stay tuned for details regarding our
group leader-hosted April Mommy Mingler!

Hope to see you all there!

Kim

Tip of the Week: Busy Tots!

All parents experience the "witching hours" between 4 and 6 p.m. These are
the times when kids complain, "I have nothing to do!" or "I'm bored!" If
you're as busy as I am, you won't have a steady supply of ready-to-go art
projects handy, but www.BusyTotBox.com certainly does. Each month, four craft
kits, snacks, fun facts and recipes
will come right to your door. Parenting made easy -- or at least easier!