Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of Mathnasium, brought to you by the Chicago Mathnasium locations (West DePaul, Ravenswood and West Loop). That said, all thoughts, opinions, and gleefully left-brained family members are entirely my own. ***** I’m gonna need everyone (including my mother) to promise not to snicker at my participation in this one: I’m promoting a math event. Yes. A MATH event. While I’m, shall we say, slightly challenged in all things mathtacular, I seem to have been {Read More}
Halloween happiness with Pearachuting pumpkins
October 25, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Disclosure: I’m a Pearachute ambassador (and stoked to be one). As such, I occasionally regale you with tales of kid-activity awesomeness, and the opportunity to get in on said kid-activity awesomeness. Although I’m compensated, all thoughts, opinions, and insanely sugared children are entirely my own. *** Halloween is looming large, and if your little monsters are acting like, well, little monsters, have I got the energy (and sugar) burning activities for you! Everyone and their princess-glittered little sister knows that {Read More}
Goodman’s “Wonderful Town;” Chicago’s nicest place to visit.
October 12, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Here’s the thing about Leonard Bernstein shows; they’re larger than life, classically “Broadway” and, if painted with a broad brushstroke, can feel more than a little dated. That is, unless they’re staged by the Goodman, and infused with such nuance that even the tiniest set piece feels like the wink of an inside joke. Wonderful Town is unlike anything else you’ll see all year. What started in the 1930s as a series of short stories by author Ruth McKenney, chronicling {Read More}
Springhill Suites, the #ArtofLocal, and a fun, fun night.
October 5, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Word to the wise: if you ever see an #ArtofLocal event at a, well, local Springhill Suites by Marriott, you should go. You should bring all of your friends and go. Immediately. What began in 2010 as Marriott’s ArtNight has evolved into a community extravaganza of giving craftspeople a platform of wide visibility (and wowing hotel guests and lucky locals). The night I attended? Off-the-charts food, drink, art, and performances. Right off the bat, a large scale painting entitled “City {Read More}
This month in “I Didn’t Know Pearachute Could Do That” news
September 21, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Disclosure: As a Pearachute ambassador, it’s my crazy good fortune to run around town with my trio and report back on the best of the kid-friendly best. Although I’m being compensated, all thoughts, opinions, and thoroughly exhausted children are entirely my own. *** Did you know that… Pearachute offers workout classes for Mamas (and Daddies) with included childcare? It’s true. The Dailey Method in Lincoln Park has many early-in-the-day options, with their Dailey Barre and Fusion sessions. Free playtime for {Read More}
EatPakd and eat lunch for free!
September 12, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Disclosure: I’m thrilled to tell you guys about EatPakd– a brilliant way to solve Chicagoland lunchtime dilemmas- and even though I’m being compensated, all thoughts, opinions, and apple dips are entirely my own. *** Lunch is hard. Lunch is very, very hard. Oh, it doesn’t seem like it should be, and on paper (or in backpack) you’d think the math problem would be simple. A (food items you’re pretty sure your kids still like) + B (an entire school year’s {Read More}
The worst/best neighborhood in the world/Chicago.
August 25, 2016 By 2 Comments
Sometimes you hate your neighborhood. Sometimes it’s too grungy and loud and entirely too in-your-face for a person who (perhaps) has just returned from the seaside. It doesn’t matter which seaside, only that the glaring juxtaposition with any seaside drives home the fact that someone has recently puked in the alley and you may or may not have run over an already deceased rodent while parking in your garage immediately upon returning from said anonymous seaside. Sometimes after-hours Spanish karaoke sessions {Read More}
5 ways my vacation and my home are very, very different.
August 11, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Hi. So, I’m not fully back back. Our luggage is back, that’s for sure. (I’m pretty sure it found some friends and made some babies by the looks of the unpacking and laundry. The amount of pajamas alone are quite suspect.) The children are back and so are their parents- at least physically. Mentally, on the other hand, is a different story. There are exhausted meltdowns. There are 3am, 4am, 5am wake ups. There are floor naps. (And that’s just {Read More}
