Chicago for Kids- Our Favorite Places, Food and Travel Tips

My husband, 6 year old and I just returned from a week in Chicago. Everyone has asked me this weekend how was it and I have to say over and over again, I LOVE THAT CITY! Chicago has it all- water, parks, playgrounds, museums, culture, free zoo, awesome food. We had visited before my daughter was born and enjoyed it as adults, but with a kid in the big city for the first time, it was even better!

Both times we have been to Chicago we stayed on The Magnificent Mile. I can't imagine staying anywhere else. It is the big city! Abby loved calling cabs and the big circular doors. We loved all the stores, food and coffee shops within walking distance.

Here are a few of my favorites places to see, places to eat and tips for navigating Chicago!

Favorite Places to See

The first night we walked out to Navy Pier. We ate pizza, rode the swings and the Ferris wheel. It is just fun for kids- everything is lit up, water is all around you, and you can see the city so easily from the Pier. It is a must see! Rides are about $6-$8/person/ride. So, we split up and my husband did the swings with Abby and I did the Ferris wheel with her. The wheel is best at sunset so we did swings, ate dinner and walked the little souvenir shops and then did the Ferris wheel last. Be sure to get a bag of Garrett's Popcorn when you visit. We bought a big bag and snacked on it all week!

Hands down, our favorite place was Maggie Daley Park. It just opened a few months before our trip and was like no other park. 

We visited it twice. The backdrop was amazing! The slides were so creative! Abby had fun running around and being a kid! 

The whole place is just full of laughter and imagination. We really loved it! 

From Maggie Daley park, you can take a fun footbridge over to Millennium Park to see the famous bean and also the Crown Fountains. 

Be sure to pack clothes to change into. Abby loved seeing the fountains spit water out on all the kids. We just rolled her jeans up and limited her fountain time. Lots of kids come in swimsuits!

There is so much to learn in Chicago and the zoo was a must see. It is a free zoo, so there are gates open all around and people in the parks surrounding the zoo. They had picnic lunches, flew kites, and ran all around the grassy fields near the zoo. We took the bus and were there in time for lunch before we started exploring.

We are zoo people- we have visited 8 other zoos and really loved this one. I judge a zoo based upon the ability to not get lost and the ability to see the animals well. I dislike a zoo with the animals all in hiding indoors. We saw everything! They had more monkeys than I've ever seen- big ones, little ones, playful ones, old and tired ones. There is an entire primate house to show all the different monkeys!

Due to rain and chilly temps for us warm Texans, we skipped our beach day and ended up at The Field Museum. It was a great Plan B! This is Sue, she is the most complete dinosaur I believe in the world. Only a small handful of her bones were recreated. This is the museum of natural history which houses animals, culture, and artifacts from centuries ago. 

We also visited the Museum of Science and Industry- our FAVORITE museum. It is all about how science and technology have influenced our world from combines helping farmers or robots building toys. It was super cool and very hands on!

Favorite Places to Eat

We did a lot of really good eating and a lot of walking in Chicago, so it all balances out, right? I sent a request out on social media and put everyone's suggestions into a Word document and saved it on the Google drive so my husband and I could access it. I knew the place, address, hours and food types from peeking online. It helped us decide on the fly!

Here are a few of my favorites... we splurged on Glazed & Infused Doughnuts one morning. Oh so good! I had that giant Lemon Blueberry Toffee doughnut. So good! Plus, they had the best Iced Chai tea I've ever had. Lots of locations around Chicago!

Of course a proper lunch at American Girl was enjoyed!

Chicago is known for their hot dogs and pizza and we made sure to sample some of the best!

I like my hot dog plain- no ketchup, mustard, nothing. Plain! So, this was a lot to take in. Marcus loved them both!

Within walking distance of the zoo was the Chicago Pizza and Grinder Company. It is a tiny little place with a cool history. They make their pizzas in a bowl! They fill it with cheese, then meat sauce and then cover the bowl with bread. It bakes and then as they bring it to the table, they flip it over. It was like a yummy pizza soup inside a bread bowl. Very cool and unique.

We were seated in the back of the restaurant and every table we passed was eating this, so we ordered it. Best decision! Their Mediterranean bread was a thin bread covered in seasonings, dried peppers and cheese. So good and perfect while our pizza cooked.

In the middle of our busy trip, we had a fireworks boat cruise planned out on Lake Michigan. We had made that day lighter and were in the hotel room for naps by 3 PM. We ordered deep dish from Lou Malnatis for dinner and had it delivered to our room. It was so good- the best pizza we've ever had. Normally I don't like deep dish because it is too saucy, but this was just extra cheesy! The salad with sweet vinaigrette was also wonderful. I'm happy to know they ship!

Finally, on our last night in town we ventured to Ed Debevic's. It is a 50's style diner with dancing wait staff, jukeboxes, silly hats and sassy waiters. As in, when I ordered Abby a grilled cheese, he said, "something you could make cheaper at home." It was fun and really good! They are known for the world's smallest sundae. It was cute and the perfect ending! 

Tips for Navigating Chicago

First of all, we went no fancy camera on this trip. I knew I would not want to pull it out! But, I also hate the storage almost full message that always comes at the wrong time! We installed Google drive on our phones before the trip and set up a Chicago folder both my husband and I could access. At night in our hotel room, we would transfer our pictures from everyone's devices into the drive and they were off our phones and easy to access back at home. I'll do this for every trip from now on!

Speaking of technology, I would have been so lost without the Citymapper app and they have it for lots of cities worldwide. It has over 1200 reviews and almost 5 stars! You can easily enter where you want to go- address or just place like The Bean- and it will map it out for you. Then, it will offer you bus routes, train options, walking, or can call an Uber (like a private taxi) for you. It never failed us- we used it over and over each day. 

I feel like we timed a big city trip with our daughter really well- no stroller, she could walk about a mile without complaining, she can stay up late without a nap, etc. But, we still needed a booster seat according to Illinois state law. So, we bought this cheap and light one for $12.99 at Target. We knew if it was lost, we would be okay and also that it was light to carry all around. We were able to pay $1 and coat check it at museums and then the hooks attached onto my husband's backpack easily. The foam cover also comes right off which was good for the rain we experienced! She used it on the plane and whenever we took a taxi.

And speaking of rain, we were pretty bummed to miss out on a Cubs game at Wrigley Field when torrential rain invaded our Tuesday. They cancelled the game as we entered Addison station on the train to exit for Wrigley. It was pretty disappointing. My email was then notified of the cancellation and they let me know my tickets were now good for the rescheduled game on August 24th. I called the Cubs ticket office to see if I could get a refund or if I could use my tickets for the next night's game and was told no. I clearly won't be at the August 24th game since I live 1000 miles away and essentially lost my $100. Because of that, I would recommend buying Cubs tickets online the same day or day before. We didn't need top of the line seats, we just wanted to be in the stadium. Our tickets were purchased 6 weeks out and were the same price online that day.

Finally, my daughter brought along my old iPhone 4s as her own camera and we allowed her to capture pictures of whatever interested her. It really kept her engaged. She loved getting "the shot" and showing us what all she had captured at the end of the day. Here she is checking out her skyline picture at Maggie Daley Park.

Feel free to let me know if you have any questions- I'm happy to answer based on our experience!

Happy Mommy Box

Have you heard of the Happy Mommy Box? I saw it all over Instagram recently and had to check it out! It is a monthly subscription that sends you a box of goodies and includes a treat for the kids! You can subscribe for 1 month or 3 months at a time. It is $29/month which includes shipping. 

There is a wait list as these boxes have gotten pretty popular! So, you get on the wait list and an email is sent telling you when the site is open and you can sign up for the following month/3 months.

Here is my February box- my first one! The box always includes a print (the chalkboard moon 5x7 print), a magazine, coupons and then treats for Mom and child. They do ask your child's age. Abby received play-doh and some robot tattoos and vitamins. 

One of the best parts- they try to feature small Mommy based businesses in the boxes, like the two bracelets I received. Super cute and fun to support others in the working Mom arena.

I can't have a Happy Mommy Box every month, but I'll certainly do it every now and then!

If you aren't looking for yourself, this would be super fun to gift to a friend who is a new Mom!

Let's Talk "Fresh" Herbs

I love cooking with fresh herbs, but without an herb garden in my backyard, I feel like the herbs often cost more than the meal. That frustrates me! Here are some creative solutions I have found:

Have you seen these 5 blade scissors for cutting fresh herbs? They are inexpensive on Amazon and you'll find that when you do buy fresh herbs, you'll use up every little piece because they cut so easily. Plus, you won't dread dealing with herbs since the scissors are so fun and easy! I chopped up cilantro fresh from my cool shower cap storage for tortilla soup in less than 1 minute. 

When I talked about herbs with some of my friends in MOPS, another Mom mentioned these frozen herbs. They are in what looks like ice cube trays and you can pop them out into your dish and they will melt and incorporate into the meal. Plus, they are only a couple of dollars and last forever. For my local friends, I've seen them at HEB at 1431/Parmer and at 620 and Anderson Mill. They have lots of different herbs to select from.

I have fallen in love with this orzo recipe and make it often using this basil paste instead of fresh basil. It is found in the produce section and it basically finely chopped basil in olive oil. It works great and lasts forever! I've made the orzo 4 times and still haven't used all the paste up. 

Do the cost of fresh herbs frustrate you too? Hopefully these can be found in your store and help you, too!

My Trader Joe's Grocery Review

We just recently got a Trader Joe's in the big city next to the suburb I live it. It is a big deal that they came to Texas and everyone has been talking about it for months. My friend and I took a little field trip there a few weeks ago. We both did our research looking online at the top selling products and things we HAD to purchase. We each spent just under $100 and came home with new things to try with our families. 

A couple of general comments- the store is small, but I think we are used to everything being large in Texas. It was a nice size though because I found everything I really needed there. I was amazed that everything I looked at was filled with things I could pronounce. I get headaches from corn syrup and loved having so many snack options made with real sugar! Plus, so many things were the same price or less than the everyday grocery store. I spent less, bought organic, and skipped lots of chemical junk. 

Let's talk about how it tasted!

Here is my stash we can talk through top left to right and going down....

International Chocolates- these are a gift, but I know she will love trying all the different ways chocolate is made, flavored and sweetened around the world.

Sprouted Wheat Bagels- sprouted wheat is less processed wheat, so that is a good thing.

Marinana Sauce- this was good and without corn syrup! Why does tomato sauce need corn syrup!

Sweet Chili Sauce- I love this on my cilantro chicken and it was less expensive than HEB, so I bought it. Tastes the same!

Charles Shaw wine- this wine is only $2.99/bottle. It is known as Two Buck Chuck. My husband drank it and liked it. Great to have on hand. We bought three bottles for the price on one that he normally drinks.

Let's talk about Midnight Moo- I was most excited about this. My daughter loves chocolate milk and I hate what is in chocolate syrup. This one is totally natural and she loved it. It is thick and takes a little work to break up in the milk, but worth it.

Cookie Butter- looks like peanut butter, but it is made with ground up gingerbread cookies, cinnamon, and coconut oil. AH-MAZING! No wonder this stuff has it's own Facebook page. Tastes great on waffles, bagels, animal crackers, and even ice cream!

Candy Cane green tea- this smelled wonderful and tasted great. It is strong and great for the holidays. 

Dark Chocolate Peppermint Jo Jos- these are dark chocolate covered peppermint Oreos. Enough said. We ate them just fine. :)

Chicken Tamales (under the Jo Jos)- we loved these! They were great for a quick and good dinner on Christmas eve after church. We will buy them again!

Honeycrisp Apples- these are like the cadillac of apples- super sweet and always expensive. I bought an organic bag for the price of one large apple at the grocery store. 

Strawberries- I first bought strawberries organic last summer and the difference is very noticeable. The color, the taste, you'll be able to tell!

Garlic Herb Chicken Sausage- this was so tasty and not greasy at all. Perfect protein for a busy night.

Bagged Kale- it is washed and torn and ready for this salad! Plus it was only $1.99 as opposed to $3.99 in the grocery store.

Cheese Tortellini- we ate on this bag for days! My daughter and niece liked them and they reheated well the next few days. I just tossed in a little olive oil and Italian seasoning.

Spinach Sour Cream Dip- this was all natural and tasted just like the over processed dips I would normally buy. It tasted great with carrots. My only complaint- it is best by the day after the day I bought it. I should have looked!

Edamame Hummus- Marcus didn't think this had much flavor. He tasted the bean part of the hummus more than the edamame part. They had tons of flavor options, so I'll try a different one next time.

Dark Chocolate Almonds- oh my heavens- these were awesome! Covered in dark chocolate and then sea salt and turbinado sugar. Really tasty!

Mac and Cheese- this really did taste like homemade. It was an easy side that I will buy again!

Let's talk about the taco seasoning mix. I've made my own and while it is easy, I don't always have enough on hand to make a big container for future uses, but I hate seeing all the sodium and junk in taco seasoning. Check this one out- all the things I would have put in there myself. Hooray for that! Plus, it was only 79 cents. Love that!

Mandarin Orange Chicken- this might be my favorite purchase- easy to make, tastes great over rice, and my daughter ate seconds!

Ground Beef- we used this in a casserole and it was no different from the grocery brand we buy. It just cost a little less and was in a flat container which stacked so easily in the freezer.

I love having Trader Joes nearby and am certain I will visit at least once a month to stock up on my favorites!

CIlantro and Radishes

 I spoke to my MOPS group a few months ago about Meal Planning and Grocery Budgeting and had the best time looking for ideas we could use online. When I saw an easy way to keep cilantro fresher longer, I had to try it. Cilantro is a Mexican food staple in Texas, so I buy it often. It is only 28 cents a handful which is nice, but it never last long. I feel like I am always throwing it out and buying fresh.

This cilantro has been in my refrigerator for 5 weeks! It is still standing tall, bright green and totally edible! Amazing, huh?

When you buy the cilantro, wash it off, place it in a glass jar with water and add a shower cap or open baggie on top. I haven't even changed the water. You can see the stragglers outside the cap and dried up, but the cap is key and those inside are fresh!

And, I saw this in the store the other day. I don't know about you, but I don't want my hands or any part of me to smell like a radish. Ewww.

New Favorite iPhone Photo Editing App- in time for Christmas!

 I seem to only take pictures with my iPhone anymore. I never pull out my nice camera unless we are on vacation or taking family pictures all together. I am always so jealous of the beautiful iPhone pictures I find on Instagram, Twitter, etc. So, I did a little asking and a little research and have a new favorite app- PicFx. The app costs $1.99.

Here is the straight from the phone/no filter picture I took a few weeks ago.

And, here are just a few of the PicFx filters I played with. There are a TON more!

Love! I also use A Beautiful Mess for text overlays and Diptic for collages.

Any other photography apps I should check out?

What I'm Loving Right Now

So many cute things I am loving right now!

These boots just might change my life. I have looked for wide calf boots that are cute for years. Not even kidding- years. I own a pair and they look cheap and plasticy to me. Big calved girls can be fashionable!

I was at Nordstrom recently and told the sales guy my problem when we wanted to bring out some boots for me. He took the challenge and told me he had the perfect boots for me. They worked! They zipped right up and over my skinny jeans. Oh happy day!

The Sam Edelman Penny Boot has the wide calf in all the right places. It isn't tight just above the ankle and too big just below the knee. I love them. One thing he taught me with boots, look for one layer of leather so that they will stretch for you. The higher end boots have an inner leather layer and so your stretch is more limited. I bought this whiskey pair, but they also come in black.

I love this striped tote from Gap. It is trendy and reasonably priced at $49.95. Gap is always running sales, so I am hopeful it goes on sale again before Christmas. The hard choice will be deciding which color!

Are you shopping Jane.com yet? It is a daily flash deal site that I love far and beyond all others. It is clothes, jewelry, kid stuff, chevron, crafts, monograms, I love it all! They will email you and the deal changes daily. 

I am a little obsessed with bubblegum necklaces! These are all over Etsy, blogs, and I even bought tham for under $7 on Jane.com. They are big and chunky and super fun for little girls. My 4 year old loves them and everyone notices them on her.

I am all about scarves this Fall.I love throwing on a scarf over a solid sweater. It just makes it more fun! Plus, I think it covers my fat a little! :) This plaid one from Gap is super soft! I also love a couple from Francesca's- they have sequin sewn into them. Beautiful!

Are these not the cutest little Chukka booties you've ever seen? I love the wedge, the wing tip detail and the tassels on the end of the ties. Plus, they are under $100. That is great for boots!

Finally, I can't believe it but my hair touches my shoulders! I have the slowest growing hair in the world. It has taken 2 years to touch my shoulders from a pixie cut. Don't even get me started on the fact that the pixie is coming back into style. How annoying is that? 

So, since my hair is the longest it has been in 15 plus years, I am discovering all kinds of fun hair accessories and I love these Sweaty Bands. They are a fun print on top and velvet on the bottom side and then a thin piece of elastic at the base of your head. They stay put and look cute! I bought mine at Nordstrom, but you can find them online in numerous places.

Anything you are loving this fall that I need to know about?

New Favorite Watch

I have been looking for a cool pool watch all summer and I found one just in time for our end of summer vacation- Puma Bubble Gum watch in green! 

I can't tell you how much cuter this watch is in person- the face is big which I love. The green is the perfect Kelly with a touch of lime. The blue is a bright sky blue and looks perfect- like grass and the sky. It is light. It is really soft. I love it!

See the Puma Bubblegum watch at Zappos. Plus with fast and free shipping, you could be wearing it on Tuesday!

Best Packing Tip Ever

Thank you Pinterest- this is genius!

Open your liquid bathroom products and place a little Saran wrap over the hole and close them back up. It takes up no extra room in your make up bag and solves the "find what spilled game" I have played one too many times!

One more little tip, hide the Saran Wrap to prevent housekeeping from throwing it away before your return trip home! :)

New Favorites: Marianna, BB Cream and Vinylux

I have found three new beauty products this summer that I just love!

Have you ever tried Marianna bobby pins? I recently had a professional do my hair and makeup for a DVD shoot and she recommended these "supreme" bobby pins after all of us girls asked how she was doing much magic with our hair? She would do a messy side bun and hold it firmly in place with 2 bobby pins! No joke!

Since the DVD shoot, the other girls from my church and I have tried all kinds of magic with bobby pins. I am still working on a cute braid! If you really want to get adventurous- there are tons of bobby pin videos on You Tube!

Stephanie, the artist, also did our make-up and wow- she made my eyes look amazing. You can see her video on makeup application here. 

I recently read an article on the new makeup out called BB Cream. Have you tried these yet? The L'Oreal brand was rated the best of the grocery store options, so I have been using it for about a month. My skin really is smoother and looks better when "nude". I use it instead of my moisturizer and tinted foundation. Just BB cream and powder it turning out to be a great summer combination. I bought mine at Target for under $10. BB Creams were started in Asia- you can read more here. There are also CC creams now. Who knew?

I recently took Shellac off my nails. It is too hard to make nail appointments in the summertime. My nail tech recommended a new product called Vinylux from CND who makes Shellac. It is not a gel polish, but a regular polish that is said to last a week. You just do two thin coats and then their top coat.

It didn't look perfect after a week, but looked much better than a regular manicure. I can't seem to make a manicure last more than 2 days! Plus, the colors are all the same as Shellac which is great if you have Shellac on and want to touch up or match up your toes. 

I bought mine from her, but Amazon has it and I am sure other retailers will be stocking their shelves soon. It is about $10 per bottle.

Any new products you have seen lately that I should try?