Cross Sound Ferry's "Lights and Sights" Cruise

Yesterday, the kids and I had the opportunity to board Cross Sound Ferry's Sea Jet for the "Lights and Sights" Lighthouse Cruise. It was the perfect day for a boat ride!

We boarded in New London, CT and set sail to check out the lighthouses and attractions. The Sea Jet is a catamaran that cruises up to 35 mph that has both indoor and outdoor seating. The Jet has a small cafe that serves up everything from sandwiches, to bakery items, to snacks, to drinks, to cocktails! We enjoyed lunch inside at a booth by the window and then headed to the open roof level for maximum viewing. We loved being able to go in and out and up and down as we pleased.

Now, most people go on the tour to see the lighthouses but my family had an ulterior motive. We were really there to get a glimpse of Taylor Swift's ocean side mansion in Rhode Island. That was one of the highlights for us!

Not too shabby, Taylor!

I like to think she's waiving to us from her window ;)

So beyond being Taylor Swift groupies, we had an awesome time on the boat. On the two hour cruise, you see 8 lighthouses. We loved hearing the history of them and seeing how different they all looked.

New London Ledge Lighthouse

Latimer Reef Light

Race Rock Light

For us, in addition to the fun of the lighthouses, attractions, history, and food, really the appeal was a fun day out at sea. The kids loved being on the boat and it was fun to see the pure joy it brought for them.

It was definitely a day of family fun for us. Want to check it out for yourself? Cruises run from early April through late November. The cruise costs $28 adult, $14 child (ages 2-11), and children under 2 are free. Cruises depart at 12:30pm and last approx 2 hours. You can see the full tour schedule on their site HERE.

*We received complimentary tickets to the Lights and Sights tour. As always, all opinions are my own.

The Wizard of Oz: Review and Discount Code!

Last night, Isabelle and I, along with our friend Laurie, attended opening night of The Wizard of Oz at the Citi Wang Theatre in Boston. We arrived early to be a part of the opening night festivities which included Dorothy and Toto arriving in an antique pick up truck for a yellow brick road (like a red carpet!) arrival. The Lollipop Guild greeted Dorothy and they talked with fans and signed autographs.

Isabelle was SO excited to meet them and have them sign her playbill. She was beaming from ear to ear. The arrival was just the start of the fun though because then it was on to the performance. 

The show was AWESOME! I've had the pleasure of attending quite a few live performances over the past few years and this one really stood out for me. It was a rather small cast (full of all the beloved characters that you remember) and they did an amazing job. They were all true to what you would expect them to be - the Scarecrow was silly and clumsy, the Lion was funny and cowardly, and the Wizard was grand yet feeble. The set was wonderful and the singing was incredible. The show definitely entertained audiences of all ages.

Photo Credit: The Wizard of Oz, Daniel A. Swalec©

The Wizard of Oz is playing now through April 24, 2016 which is perfect for April vacation. I highly recommend you check it out if you can! Here are the full details...

The Wizard of Oz plays at the Citi Performing Arts Center Wang Theatre Tuesday, April 12 through Sunday, April 24 for 16 performances: Tuesday through Friday evenings at 7:00 pm; Saturday evenings at 7:30 pm; matinees at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, April 20 at 2:00 pm and on Saturdays; and on Sundays at 1:00 pm and 6:30 pm. Tickets start at $35.00; all prices include a $3.75 facility fee per ticket. Tickets are on sale at the Citi Center box office, through www.citicenter.org or by calling 800-982-ARTS (2787), or through Ticketmaster. Groups of 10 or more may reserve tickets now by contacting Citi Performing Arts Center Group Sales at (617) 532-1116 or groups@citicenter.org 

Discount Code:

Save 25% on tickets to see The Wizard of Oz at the Citi Wang Theatre!  Visit http://citicenter.org/buy/show-listing/wizard-of-oz and enter code OZMOM to buy your discounted tickets. Discount applies to select performances (4/12 7 pm, 4/13 7 pm, 4/14 7 pm, 4/15 7 pm, 4/17 6:30pm ) while supplies last. Valid on all levels, excluding Orchestra Pit.

 

*I received complimentary tickets to the show. As always, all opinions are my own.

The Lego Americana Roadshow (Providence, RI)

The family and I headed to the Providence Place Mall this morning for some family fun. I had heard that the Lego Americana Roadshow was on display there and figured it would be a win/win for all involved. I'm happy to report that I was right!

That's the U.S. Capitol Building made of Legos!

The FREE display consists of some of America's most famous buildings made entirely of Legos. Each model has a sign with what it is along with the historical significance of it. There was also a trivia question for each model. You can guess who loved that (Hint: She's pictured below!).

Isabelle and the Washington Monument

Along with the historical items they also had several just for fun exhibits that the boys loved. They were creative and full of mini figures.

President Business on Mount Rushmore!

Along with just checking out the models, they have a hands on area where kids can have fun and play with Legos. They also have ramps where the kids spent lost of time building cars and racing each other.

The Lego Americana Roadshow is taking place at The Providence Place mall from now through March 6, 2016 during normal mall hours. If you have a Lego (or American History!) fan in you're family, I highly recommend it. 

*Disclaimer: My family loved this free event so I am sharing it with you. No compensation/perks were received for it.

King Richard's Faire 2015

Yesterday, the kids and I headed to King Richard's Faire for a day of fun and excitement. For those of you not familiar with it, King Richard's Faire is New England's largest and longest running Renaissance Faire. It offers live, interactive entertainment for all ages. I had never visited the Faire before having children and honestly they are what made believers out of me. My children LOVE it. This was our fourth year going and the kids have been eagerly talking about it all summer. They are actually still talking about the performances that we see there in years past.

King Richard's Faire puts on shows and acts that you don't see other places. Yesterday, we saw dueling knights on horses, a man whipping fire, amazing acrobatics, tight wire walking, and MORE. When you walk through the gates it's like a whole new world. Everywhere you look at the Faire there is something interesting going on. No wonder the kids think it's so fascinating and memorable!

If you've never been to King Richard's Faire, check out my post HERE that I wrote a few years ago which answers some FAQs. You can also follow the King on Facebook HERE. The Faire runs in Carver, MA from September 5 through October 25, 2015 on weekends and Monday holidays (Labor Day, Columbus Day). Faire hours are 10:30am-6pm. Tickets are $29 for adults (12+) and $16 for children ages 4-11. Children under 4 are free. Parking is also free. 

Now as you can see from the ticket price - it isn't cheap. Rides, games, and food will also cost you additional. As anyone who knows me knows, I'm pretty cheap. I want to assure you that you and your family can have a GREAT time at the Faire whether you do every ride/game there or you do none at all (like us!). The Faire itself is full of excitement, great people watching, and showcases talents that you don't see elsewhere. We spend our day enjoying the live shows, listening to music, engaging with people, and taking it all in. We then cap our day off with an ice cream cone. It's become part of our tradition :)

So there you have it, another Faire visit in the books. I know some people who are already looking forward to next year!

*Disclosure: My family received complimentary tickets to the Faire. As always, all opinions are my own.

Ships A Hoy: Indoor Water Sprayground! (Norwood, MA)

Daniel and I headed out this morning to meet some friends at Ships A Hoy located inside Rama Athletic Club in Norwood, MA. One of my friend's son had attended a birthday party there but beyond that no one else, including me, had ever heard of it. Let me tell you - you want to know about this place!

Oh.My.God. Maybe it's just the fact that Daniel was able to have water fun after this horrible winter but man was it A-mazing. How did I not know about this place? How has this been kept such a secret? Besides our group there were only 4 other kids there. Daniel played for hours and had a total blast. Locals, you should totally check it out!

Things to know about Ships A Hoy:

• Open 7 days a week at 920 Washington Street, Norwood:

8am-12pm Monday - Friday
4pm-8pm Monday - Thursday
5pm-8pm Friday
8am- 12pm Saturday and Sunday

• Cost is $10 per child (credit cards accepted)

• Grown ups don't need to wear bathing suits(!!). You can just hang out along the side and watch the magic happen. I wore sneakers and it was fine but you might be better off in flip flops or rainboots (especially if your children are younger and you need to help them in the park)

• It's warm inside the splashpark. The temp is great for kids in the water but grown ups should dress appropriately for the warmer climate. I'd definitely suggest short sleeves.

•  Towels are provided

• There are two changing stalls located within the splashpark

• There's a small kid table inside the splashpark where some kids sat to have snack

•  They host birthday parties! Call the club at 781-349-8580 for rates and availability

 *Daniel and I paid for our visit today, enjoyed it, and are sharing with you. As always, all opinions are my own.

While you're here, check out some other great family spots that we've checked out!

United Skates of America: Rumford, RI

DelCarte Recreation Area: Franklin, MA

Mystic Aquarium: Mystic, CT 

 Great Wolf Lodge New England

Purgatory Chasm: Sutton, MA

Rexhame Beach: Rexhame MA 

Our Roller Skating Adventure!

This morning, the kids and I headed out for some roller skating fun. In hindsight, going alone with three kids who have never roller skated before was a bit ambitious on my part. Getting the kids in skates alone was like a 20 minute process! However, at the end of the day, we are all alive and not too much worse for wear!

We decided to try out United Skates of America in Rhode Island which is less than a half hour from our house. They had coupons on their website for vacation week so for skating and rentals it ended up being $10/kid. I didn't skate so I was free. I thought that I might have to skate since I knew I'd have to go on the rink with them but I was allowed to just wear my regular shoes which was definitely a sanity saver for this trip. It was HARD when we first got out on the rink. Pretty much none of the kids could stand even while holding on to the sides. You forget how difficult roller skating is!

Dominating the wall like bosses!

Isabelle was first to break free from the wall which surprised me since she can be a scaredy cat. However, she's also the oldest so I think the coordination came a bit more easily for her. 

 Isabelle and "Stuff"

Daniel was second to break free and really it was only his complete lack of fear and wanting to go a million miles an hour that made it hard for him.

Then there was Henry - oh, Henry. That kid never made it off the wall! So really the challenging part for me was having all three of them at different levels and trying to keep an eye on all of them. It is a circular rink but there is a concession stand/seating area in the middle that blocks a full view. I eventually just had to tell myself that I'd hear the other ones screaming if they fell and really hurt themselves! 

While we were taking a water break at one point, they announced that they had hidden some small dinosaurs throughout the rink and by chance I happened to have spotted one while grabbing napkins. So Henry turned it in and got a free game of laser tag in exchange. That actually worked out well so he could do that while the other kids kept skating. In the end, the lazer tag was his favorite part of the day. Oh, and the free cotton candy they were giving out!

Cotton candy is more fun than skating!

So all in all, it was a lot of fun. I got to reminisce about my good old days at Skate Town and the kids got to try something new. United Skates actually has a lot of different things there including skating, laser tag, video games (although they seemed pricey from what I saw), rock climbing, and more. Not a bad spot to check out if you haven't been there before! 

*This was something we did and paid for on our own. I'm simply sharing the details with you. As always, all opinions are my own.*

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical Review!

Waiting for the show to start!

Last night, Isabelle and I went with our friends The Vintage Mom and her daughter, Caroline, to see opening night of Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical. As anyone from the Boston area knows, the weather was less than stellar yesterday so we were hoping that the show would be worth a long ride in the rain. Luckily, it was! The musical was the perfect show to bring your whole family to. Not fully knowing that ahead of time, we decided to make it a girls' night which is always a guaranteed fun night either way!

This is our intermission high on Sour Patch Kids, Popcorn, and Junior Mints!

Now that I've been to the show though I would definitely recommend it for all aged kids. The show ran about an hour and a half total (including intermission) so even wiggly kids could probably last through it. The show had all the beloved characters from the televsion show and as always, Hermey was my favorite. There was singing, dancing, and action that kept the girls' attention for the whole show. They even ended the night with a cast/audience sing along. Now does that scream family fun or what? 

The show is only running for a short time at the Shubert Theatre so make your plans now if you want to catch it!  

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical plays at the Citi Performing Arts Center Shubert  Theatre, 265 Tremont St., Boston, Tuesday, December 9 – Sunday, December 14, 2014, for 12 performances: Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 7:00 pm; morning matinees on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 10:00 am;  and afternoon matinees at 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday.  Tickets are priced at $28.00 - $68.00; all prices include a $3.75 facility fee per ticket and are on-sale  at www.citicenter.org  or by calling (866) 348-9738. Groups of 10 or may reserve tickets now by contacting Citi Performing Arts Center Group Sales at (617) 532-1116 or groups@citicenter.org   For more information, visit www.citicenter.org.

*Disclosures: I was provided with complimentary tickets to the performance. No other compensation was received. I brought The Vintage Mom with me in hopes that she'll make a personalized wooden peg of me.  As always, all opinions are my own.*

The Enchanted Village and Ice Skating at Jordan's Furniture

On Tuesday, Daniel and I headed to the Enchanted Village at Jordan's Furniture in Avon, MA for some holiday fun. Daniel enjoyed checking out the vintage store displays and particularly loved when they made it snow (aka bubble). Since the displays are free, I figured we could do one fun thing that costs money there after we were done. Of course, Daniel made a beeline for the indoor ice skating rink.

Now please note that Daniel has never been ice skating before and I've only been once as an adult. We decided to throw caution to the wind though and go for it.

Watch out!

He was a MANIAC on the ice - a complete maniac. He had no fear and just bombed around on the ice. He would completely wipe out (sometimes I think on purpose) and then hop back up and go for it again. He had a BLAST. It was so great to see him having so much fun.

Loving life

After ice skating and grabbing a snack from the concession stand, we headed out to find Good Old St. Nick with no lines, no waiting so Daniel snagged a quick picture with him.

He wouldn't sit on his lap but he would stand next to him!

So all in all it was a super great day for Daniel. It totally pays to be the youngest who isn't in full day school yet!

If you're looking for something fun to do this holiday season you might want to check Jordan's out. I would imagine that it's packed on a weekend so just be prepared for lines/waits if you go then. We waited in a short, fast moving line for the Village but no other lines. The Enchanted Village itself is rather small so you might want to consider doing one of the cost activities as well. Ice skating was $5/person which included skate rentals so not too bad. It said it was a half hour of ice time but we were on it longer. I imagine if it was busy they might ask people to stick to the time schedule. We were the only ones on the ice at some points though so I don't think it mattered. They also have a 4D Polar Express Movie Ride ($6/person - 40 inch height requirement) as well as a holiday laser light show ($5/person, all ages) that cost additional money. You can also purchase professional pictures with Santa for additional costs as well (or just snap a pic with your phone like I did!).

*No compensation/discounts were provided for this post. It was simply a fun outing that I wanted to share with you. As always, all opinions are my own.*

Bethany Church Foxboro: Christmas Fair (12/6)

Looking for something fun to do on Saturday? Look no further! Head on over to Bethany Congregational Church in Foxboro, MA for their annual Christmas Fair! They'll be lots of fun for the whole family.

My kids love the children's games and activities. Oh, and Santa, of course! I'm always a sucker for a raffle basket and they also have some great silent auction items. This year there is also a super amazing section of used toys and children's items for sale. Now I might be a bit biased since I'm the Chair of that department but you'll never know unless you come check it out! Here's a little sneak peak for you...

You know you want to give these toys a new home!

So many people are working so hard to make this a great event for the church and community. I'll be there all day Saturday in the "Toy Room" so stop on by and say hello!

Annie The Musical Review

On Wednesday night, we had the pleasure of attending opening night of Annie. Head on over to Family Friendly Boston HERE to check out my review!

Great Wolf Lodge #GWLHowlidays Preview!

This past weekend, my family was invited back to the Great Wolf Lodge for a preview of their upcoming holiday events - or "Howlidays," if you will! This was our second trip there since we also attended their grand opening in June (I know - We're like the luckiest people ever!). You can check out my post HERE for all the awesomeness that our previous trip included.

As for this trip, we started off with a preview of their Spooktacular Howl-O-Ween activities. From October 9-31, bring along your costumes to enjoy some spooky fun including trick or treating, costume parades, story time, and dance parties!

Daniel harassed this poor witch for most of the night

The kids got to color their own trick or treat bag (which can be purchased onsite) before filling it with candy

After all the Halloween fun and a visit from Wiley the Wolf, we got to enjoy a fabulous Thanksgiving feast.

The ice sculptures were amazing! This was eventually filled with fresh seafood.

They had the "normal" holiday food as well as some unique twists that were all so good. Oh, and don't worry, if you have picky eaters like mine, they also whip up some delicious mac and cheese and chicken tenders!

So we did Halloween, Thanksgiving, and next came...snow! Snowland runs November 29 - January 4, 2015 where you can enjoy an indoor winter wonderland with your family including indoor snow!

Catching snowflakes!

Children can also decorate cookies, enjoy hot chocolate, and write letters to Santa!

One can never have too many sprinkles

After the kids ingested about 50 pounds of sugar between candy, decorated cookies, and hot chocolate, we headed down to the lobby for the nightly Story Time Show. At the bar, you can get beverages "to walk" so I was sure to pick up a glass of wine on the way to the show :)

The next day we headed down to the Lodge restaurant for a large breakfast buffet. After properly stuffing myself with french toast and bacon, we hit the Howlers Peak Ropes Course (which is included with the price of your overnight stay - just make sure to bring sneakers). Last time we were there Henry did the little kids rope course but that was all we had time for. This trip all the kids were able to enjoy the fun!

Daniel loving the little kid course

Isabelle dominating the course 30 feet off the ground!

Children under 48 inches tall can do the big course but they need to be accompanied by an adult so I bring you...

Spider Men!

After tackling the ropes course, we spent the rest of the day at the water park (price included in hotel stay). Even though check out is at 11am, you are welcome to use the facilities up until closing time. We wear our bathing suits down and then leave a separate bag easily accessible in the car to change into at the end of the day before we head home. They have showers, lockers, changing stalls, and the works located right by the water parks. Or if you're like us and exhausted by the end of the day, you might even just change the kids in the parking lot (shhh!).

I think that we might have even had more fun this time than on our last trip which I didn't think was even possible. It is seriously an amazing time.

Thank you, Great Wolf Lodge!

Check out my previous post for more info (including pics of water fun!) HERE. You can also check out Great Wolf Lodge New England's web site HERE. Be sure to follow them on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date on activities and deals!

*My family received a complimentary stay at the hotel and was part of a private Howlidays preview event. As always, all opinions are my own.

DelCarte Recreation Area - Franklin, MA

The kids and I are always in the market for a new playground and place to hang out. A couple of weeks ago we were driving from the new Norfolk playground to BJs and Siri sent us a way I had never been before. While driving we spied what looked like a super cool playground and I made note of the street we were on in Franklin. I then asked a few friends about it and no one seemed to know anything about it.

So this morning, the kids and I headed out to see if we had imagined this unique looking playground. We hadn't - it totally exists! It's actually the DelCarte Recreation and Conservation Area. Apparently it just received huge renovations (including the new playground) that were finished in June 2014. The playground has a rustic, woodsy feel to blend in with its surroundings plus swings and benches. The kids LOVED it!

The playground is more geared towards older kids (sign said ages 5+) although there were toddlers there enjoying themselves. There's not much shade on the playground though so pack that sunscreen and water. There are also no restrooms (and no porta potties while we were there) so don't go too crazy with the water intake :)

Also, just behind the (fenced in) playground is a pond that could entertain my kids for hours. We walked around just a short part of it and saw tons of fish. The people there right before us had also seen a turtle. There were also walking trails (both short and longer) that we definitely will head back some day to check out.

After we did the playground and checked out the pond we had a picnic lunch at one of the tables they have around the pond. After lunch we headed back for another round at the playground!

We were there for hours and definitely recommend it. It's located on Pleasant Street in Franklin, MA and there is a parking lot right next to the playground. Enjoy!