The Hershey's Store Chicago and the "HERSHEY-IZER" Singing Baker Great Family Fun

Some of you are probably wondering what would possibly make the Hershey store in Chicago a notable addition to the things to do and see in Chicago!  Right?  Well let me just start by saying this place is a store and so much more.  It is actually one of the most fun things we have done in Chicago.  Everyone enjoyed the time we spent "shopping" there!  Why is it so special?  I thought you might never ask!  They have a SINGING bake!  As you can see in the video above he ROCKS!  Arianna won the cupcake at the end!  I never her seen her jump so high, and yell so loudly.  He is also super cool, because we actually walked in right at the end of the night.  It did not seem like a show was likely.  I went up to ask about it, and let them know we had seen the video and had came from Fort Wayne, and he happily put on a show for us!  Normally on the weekend a show is put on every 30 minutes to 1 hour.  However do not be afraid to request a show.  You might get lucky too!   Guess what else!  The kids can work there!  Yep they get a Hershey factory hat, and can choose a bucket to fill with chocolate.  They do not just hand you a pre-filled bucket.  the kids actually get to choose the candy they want to fill it with, and then have to "work" by turning the wheels and pushing the buttons to fill it!  Great fun!  My daughter Mariah is pictured here filling her bucket.  The hats are free for kids, and the small plastic bucket costs $9.95.  The larger silver bucket is $14.95, and even a factory worker ID can be added for just $4.95 more.  If you just want the ID the cost is $9.95.  You do not want to miss this!  Very entertaining for young and old!  To shop online and check out the site click http://www.hersheys.com/discover/chicago.asp 

For a special money saving coupon please click here http://www.hersheys.com/discover/ChicagoPhotoBarWebCoupon_10.pdfhttp://www.hersheys.com/discover/ChicagoPhotoBarWebCoupon_10.pdf

Crazy Pinz from Toddlers to Teens Affordable Fun for the ENTIRE Family



Ball~O~City, Bowlopolis, Coconutz, Spin Zone, Shankz, and an arcade too!!!  I drive into the parking lot of this place, and I am queen of the world!  The toddlers are screaming "Mom, Look there it is! I see CRAZY PINZ!  Are we going there?  and the littler one says I wanna go to Crazy Pinz! I wanna go in!  Then the teens a little less excited of course, but something like... so Mom?  We goin' to Crazy Pinz?  That's cool.  Then the suspense!  That moment of silence where they are squirming in their seats.  Wait for it.  Wait for it!  Then say YES! You have just went from that uncool person they are embarrassed to hug and kiss in public to that way super cool groovy chic that they can't wait to go bowling and golfing with!  Regardless it is of course out of obligation, and if you are like me they are totally going to annihilate you in both games... but well you can't have it all!  Can you?  Absolutely!  Crazy Pinz is a mother's dream!  The toddlers love Ball~O~City.  Tunnels to climb through, slides, thousands of soft foam balls to throw around, shoot out of a ball blaster, or even vacuum up!  All this plus the balls all rain down on you when it erupts! They also have a very nice sitting area just outside where you can sit and relax while observing the kiddos at play.  Crazy Pinz also has Wi-Fi!  Bonus!  Usually my teens take this time to take a spin on the Bumper Cars, and play a couple arcade games while we wait for the toddlers to burn some energy off so that they can be calm enough to bowl.  The bowling area is awesome!  The area is clean, and the equipment is easy to use.  The black light adds a great effect, and they also have bumpers available for the wee ones.  After bowling everyone is usually wasting away, and of course going to die of starvation.  So it is great that Coconutz is available for dining, and the snack shack is also available if you want something light and quick.  Bellies full we can end our fun with the glow in the dark miniature golf!  By the way I am definitely not very good at this, but it is definitely a blast!  All in all it is an excellent place to go with the family,  and will definitely fit into the budget.  Especially if you take advantage of any of the specials which are always running, and ever changing!  You can find those specials here... http://www.crazypinz.com/specials.aspx and even more are listed here http://www.crazypinz.com/Fall%20Specials.aspx .  My favorite is quarter mania on Sunday evening!  With Fall and Winter quickly approaching I would highly recommend you give this place a try when the cabin fever sets in.  It seems like we do not have much for family entertainment in the local area, and I feel that this complex is a huge asset to our kids and community!  Did I mention that I have (4) Free 1 hour lane rentals to give away? All you need to do is become a follower of this blog, and then if you have been to Crazy Pinz before please post an awesome memory that you have created there.  If you have never been there before please post why you would want to go.  I will then randomly select 1 winner each week for 4 weeks from the posts that I receive.  The first drawing will be held October 1st, 2010.  Happy posting!

Weird Chicago Tours Ghosts, Gangsters, and Absolutely Great Times!

Al Capone, John Dillinger, A Couple Serial Killers, The Virgin Mary, and a Sausage King all get on a short bus and travel the Windy City...  Sounds like one of those silly jokes you used to have to listen to about 3 men walking into a bar!  Right?  Actually it is simply one of the coolest, oddest, most memorable things I have probably ever done!  I stumbled upon this tour while searching for something that Jeff and I could do on our solo weekend in Chicago without the kids.  We really did not know what we were getting into exactly, but being the troopers that we are we decided to venture to the Hard Rock Cafe to catch the bus!  Trust me when I say...you CANNOT miss this bus!  You will recognize it right away.  Upon making our way to our seat we start to look around the bus at the many photos of the different things we would be seeing.  Excitement was definitely brewing as we anxiously awaited our eccentric and highly animated tour guide Ken!  (otherwise known as the quite normal, intelligent lad with the cool tattoos, and the awesome moustache).  He is an awesome story teller!  You will visit several different places to include The Eastland Disaster, The St. Valentine's Day Massacre Site, The Congress Hotel, Death Alley, The Biograph Theatre, and many other notable weird and exciting off the beaten path type places.  I had a pretty cool experience at death alley, and captured a really awesome picture at the river where the Eastland Disaster occurred.  I left this tour quite satisfied with the $30 I had paid.  It lasted about 3 hours, and I did not get bored for even a second!  You are able to get off the bus, and see the many sights and scenes.  Photos are allowed, and even encouraged.  I am thinking of doing it again with the teenagers.  I think they would find it amusing, and might I even venture to say FUN!  If you are headed to Chicago make sure to book this tour in advance.  Definitely a MUST!  Also, for those who are wondering if it is scary.... No.  It is not scary.   Book your tour here http://www.weirdchicago.com/. 

The Indianapolis Children's Museum Where Barbie and the Dinosaurs Play!

  The dinosaurs are coming!!!! Ok so YES! That is just a gigantic dinosaur sculpture busting out of the building into the street; but how cool is that???? Kids totally love this place even from the sidewalk! My toddlers were enchanted, and a little taken aback at the size and the lifelike details of all of the Jurassic Era creatures protruding from the building.  My teenagers of course hung back as to not seem overly ambitious about going to a "Children's" Museum.  All of this excitement and energy, and we had not even gone in yet!!!  As you walk in to this place you can feel the enchantment.  You can hear the laughter from the many kids passing by.  You just know you are in for a treat!  First we went into the dinosphere exhibit.  You go back in time 65 million years to the Cretaceous Period.  As you walk through the towering fossils you can hear the dinosaurs, and watch as the day turns to night.  Even storms are present.  With all the sights and sounds it is a great sensory experience.  A must see!  We then traveled to the pyramid, and learned about life for the ancient Egyptians.  The teenagers of course were becoming interested at this point:)  We then traveled around the ramp (which is great because it allows for the museum to be accessible to EVERYONE young and old as well as those in wheelchairs, and toddlers in strollers or wagons).  We found the carousel.  The carousel is beautiful, and bubbles add to the already nostalgic ride.  Then it was off to the playscape to wear the toddlers out a little.  Even my teenage daughter got into it a little after realizing that they had a soda fountain cottage, a can telephone to whisper secrets, and several nooks, crannies, and slides to explore.  Some other highlights were a submarine that the kids can go into, and pretend to be under the ocean, a steam engine, the Barbie exhibit, the around the world hall, and the Power of Children Exhibit.  The museum is free the first Thursday of each month from 4-8 p.m., and also hosts these free days.... 
Dec. 24, 2010—Christmas Eve (10 a.m.–2 p.m.)
Jan. 17, 2011—MLK Day
Feb. 21, 2011—Presidents Day
Apr. 2011—El Dia de Los Niños
Coupons are also available here http://www.childrensmuseum.org/special_events/promo/index.htm.  To learn more about the museum and all it has to offer please visit  http://www.childrensmuseum.org/.
  

How to skip the fast food on a $25 budget for a family of 6.

Good Morning! I wanted to let everyone in on a little travel secret that I count on every time. We as parents have all been there! Mom! Mom! Mom? MOOOOOOMMMMM!!!! I am hungry! I'm thirsty! Automatically the radar goes up. We start searching for the golden arches. Watching for that $5 footlong sign. Is it Whopper Wednesday? Why are we looking for all of these places? Well because they are cheap, and we have 6 people to feed, and don't have a hundred bucks to do it with! So we give in and it costs us nearly $30 just to eat food that in an hour will work itself through our system and result in 5-6 emergency bathroom breaks. Not to mention it has only been 2 hours and they are all hungry AGAIN! What if I told you you could have steak, chicken, hamburgers, american, greek, thai, sushi, mexican, or just about anything else your heart desires. Fresh, prepared, healthy food on a dollar menu budget! You can. Keep reading and I will teach you how.

First off I always sign up for all of the deal sights for my city, and for my destination city. I will post links to the ones I use the most! I think I will start by simply giving you an example. I went to Chicago this weekend. To prepare for this trip I went to http://www.restaurant.com/ to put in the zip code of my hotel in Elk Grove Village. I then sift through the many choices careful to read the terms of each certificate as well as the menu to make sure it is food that my teens and toddlers will all find enjoyable. We went with a restaurant called Tiffany's. I then googled restaurant.com coupon codes and found I could get them 80% off. Jeff had a reuben, I had a Monte Cristo, Mariah had a Blackjack Burger, and the 2 babies shared silver dollar pancakes. We each had a soda. Our sandwiches all included fries as well as a basket of gourmet bread and crackers, and a choice bowl of soup. Our check came to right I paid $2 for my $25 gift certificate my check was right at $37 after discount it was just $12 with gratuityand the $2 I spent on my certificate my total was just $20. Cheaper than Mc Donald's! I also use http://www.groupon.com/fort-wayne/?utm_campaign=UserReferral&utm_medium=affiliate_link&utm_source=uu2738870. Todays deal is for $7 for $15 Worth of Fresh Fare and Drinks at Calhoun Street Soups, Salads & Spirits. Each day is a different deal, and you can choose several cities. I use it for Chicago and Fort Wayne. http://www.groupon.com/chicago/?utm_campaign=UserReferral&utm_medium=affiliate_link&utm_source=uu2738870 which will get you $12 for $25 Worth of Cajun Cuisine at The Big Easy . I will share more great spots soon!

Ft Wayne Children's Zoo Ft. Wayne Indiana

I thought I would start with somewhere close to home! I know we do not travel far to this destination (just 25 minutes into town) but it really is a great place to spend quality time together. All of my kids willingly head out the door time and time again. The Fort wayne Children's Zoo is open April 24 - October 10, 2010 from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. daily. Admission for adults is $13. Children 2-14 are $8, and Babies age 1 and under are free. The zoo hosts many special events, and hosts several rides. The carousel is a favorite, and at just $2 it is a deal. Parents ride free with children 4 and under. The log ride, train, sky safari, and ponies are also available. Kids can also get their faces painted to resemble many of the animals on exhibit! My daughter's love becoming a lion or tiger for the day.

Food at the zoo also leaves many options as well. Dairy Queen is available. The zoo also has concessions which have popcorn, pop, bottled water, gatorade, ice cream etc... If traveling on a budget I prefer to use the picnic area which is provided right on the grounds:). The picnic area has many tables in the shade as well as full sun for the more chilly days. Peacocks also love to pay a visit which always delights the kiddos.

So what animals will you see? Are they active, and usually viewable? Anything I don't want to miss? Hmmmm well yes, yes, and YES! Fort Wayne Children's Zoo has many areas and animals to explore. The new African Journey hosts zebras, wildebeest, pelicans, swamp monkeys, leopards, hyenas, giraffes (you can feed them), and of course our Lion Bill! Australia has the dingos, sharks, kangaroos, bats, jellyfish and much more. The Rain Forest has my favorite Orangutans and tigers. We have a farm. You can feed the goats here, or just brush them. Also do not miss Monkey Island! Feed the catfish in the Mother Goose pond to delight the wee ones! All in all this is an awesome place to go to build memories. Family passes are available. This is definately a place you do not want to miss! http://www.kidszoo.org/