Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead in Overland Park, Kansas {Summer Bucket List 2014}

This summer has passed us by in the blink of an eye. Seriously. I thought I was going to do better than last year at keeping up with our Kansas City Summer Bucket List posts, but that has NOT been the case. So, I'm documenting a little later than intended - but it's technically still summer. It counts, right?

Back in June, we had a day that was not atrociously warm and my parents were both free, so we had a mommy-kids-and-grandparents adventure to Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead in Overland Park, Kansas. Our first trip to this 12-acre property that is designed to give families a glance at real old-fashioned farm life was last summer. I thought the kids would be even more excited about it this year, so I wanted some reinforcements to make sure I didn't lose anyone. Don't laugh. Addie may or may not have tried to throw herself in the pond.

Deanna Rose is a beautiful farmstead that features multiple play areas, historic encounters like a Native American teepee to explore, a old-time mercantile, an ice cream parlor, the opportunity to feed baby animals and MUCH more. I would have died of happiness here as a kid, when I was in an extremely long I-am-actually-Laura-Ingalls phase of imagination. I know that we will be visiting at least once a year with the kids, and probably more often during our homeschooling adventures in a few years. I'm sure it's amazing in the spring and fall when the weather is a little more mild!

We started our day at the farm by counting some chickens (Lincoln counted to thirteen ALL BY HIMSELF! I was so proud), and arguing about whether or not we actually had to wear sunscreen. Then Lincoln and Addie spotted a playground and hightailed it there to swing and slide for awhile.

I love going on adventures with my parents because they help keep track of everyone!

After we convinced them to leave the play area, we checked out a barn where they got to climb on some sawhorses and pretend to milk a cow. There were also baby goats to see, and cows just outside the door!

After venturing through the baby goat feeding pen (someone shared a bottle of milk with us, but the goats were more interested in eating my skirt and Addie's headband), Lincoln found the mini tractors and the oval track to ride them on - and then we had to plant ourselves for some time and wait for him to get his fill of the wheeled conveyences. He has yet to master pedaling a bike, so this adventure actually consisted of myself or my dad pushing him around the track.

We were all growing very warm and took a pit stop inside the nicely air conditioned general store. I kind of wanted to just live there. Doesn't it look like something straight out of Little House on the Prairie or Anne of Green Gables?

I thought Lincoln wouldn't enjoy anything more than the tractors, but I was definitely wrong. When he spotted the big red barn slide, he had eyes for nothing else.

Somehow I missed seeing these slides completely when we came last year, but there's no way we'll ever miss them again. It took Lincoln a few minutes to work up the courage to try it out, but once he did - he was hooked. He ran circles from the slide to the stairs, over and over again.

Yes - that much enthusiasm. The whole time.

Addie wanted to do the slides as well, but I was a little hesitant to send an 18-month-old up the stairs alone amidst all the big kids, so we distracted her instead by letting her feed the goats nearby. If you visit Deanna Rose, make sure to bring quarters for the feed dispensers located throughout the farm near the animals that are allowed to be hand fed.

She loved it! We couldn't get Lincoln to really develop a serious interest in feeding the animals with the slide nearby, but Addie thought it was fantastic.

We were finally able to coax Lincoln away from the slides and made a stop in the children's garden and the really big playground near the entrance. Lincoln scaled to the top and stripped his shoes and socks off just to throw them down a slide. After that, we were pretty sure it was time to call it a day!

They seriously loved the farmstead and asked to go back for days and days after our visit. I know it's going to remain one of favorite places in Kansas City!

We're happy to have crossed this item off our Summer Bucket List!
Come see what else we're doing to celebrate summer this year!

Sidewalk Chalk and Motherhood

Kids and sidewalk chalk. It's a fun combination, right? Well, mostly. I put it on our summer bucket list this year because I wasn't sure it would happen otherwise. A three-year-old and an eighteen-month-old cannot really be set free in your front yard and I don't typically spend a lot of time out there anyway. My kids are both pretty prone to running away and we live on a busy street, so I'm terrified to take them out there alone. Thus: we wait for a day when Daddy is home and make it a family adventure.

I'm sure in a few years, they will routinely cover our driveway in doodles and dragons and dazzling designs, but for now we are just celebrating the memory of the day that they got to ask Daddy to draw a mermaid and a monkey in between making crazy running breaks for the street.

These are some of the moments that are kind of hard to appreciate when you're going through them. It can seem like a huge ordeal to take the kids out of the house and let them use their imaginations to make squiggly lines across the drive.

But, the memories that come with the crazy antics of toddlers are so very worth it. They're the ones we're most likely to fondly look back upon when our children have grown and gone. So mamas...we have to embrace it.

You can create a glorious sidewalk chalk masterpiece, but even if it's the finest work of your life, the next rain will wash it away. You can only enjoy it while it lasts.

Here's my mom advice for the day. Take a minute and do something simple - yet fast-fading - with your kids. And then hold them close, because while their childhood may not fade as quickly as a chalk drawing...in a few years, it's sure going to seem like it did.

On the day we colored with sidewalk chalk, both of my kids coated themselves in chalk. It was on Addie's legs for days. Deep breath, self. Someday you'll long to squeeze those chubby legs and have a little chalk rub off onto your already food-and-spit stained clothes. I promise.

We're happy to have crossed this item off our Summer Bucket List!
Come see what else we're doing to celebrate summer this year!

Lees Summit Downtown Days {Summer Bucket List 2014}

What's better than a hometown festival celebrating the arrival of summer? I've lived in the same town most of my life, so it's always fun when the annual celebrations roll around. This year, Downtown Days fell on a weekend that my hubby was sick and the kids were worn out from going on a Thomas the Train ride earlier in the day, but I was bound and determined that we wouldn't miss the festival - and they had napped in the car on the way home from Kansas, so there was really no reason not to pack everyone up and head to the festival! We just skipped the rides - I knew I couldn't do any of those by myself with them, even though they had fun last year.

Picture perfect angels, right?

Doing anything with toddlers is an adventure, but navigating swarms of people with a double stroller and two little ones who want to get down and run is an experience all its own. We spent a long time just walking around perusing the people and sights and sounds of the city. Hey, it was easier than entertaining them at home!

What it's actually like when I'm in public with my kids. Note the Lincoln blur.

We couldn't find anywhere awesome to eat dinner (due to huge lines and my unwillingness to sit in a restaurant with two kids by myself), so I finally said "eh - why don't we just eat ice cream?" I did not receive any resistance to this idea and my two munchkins happily ran around the ice cream shop while I waited in line (sorry, Poppy's staff).

Our dinner? It was super yummy. Lincoln thought his cup and spoon was not exciting enough and stole my cone.

After our ice cream, we wandered by the fire station and the kids got to climb inside some firetrucks. It was a lot of fun until Lincoln clambered over the console and got himself stuck in the passenger seat, which had the entrance roped off. After that escapade, we made our escape pretty quickly.

It was a fun date with my babies - but I hope Daddy is well when the festival returns next year!

We're happy to have crossed this item off our Summer Bucket List!
Come see what else we're doing to celebrate summer this year!

Our Day Out With Thomas Adventure at Midland Railway in Baldwin City, Kansas

Disclosure: In exchange for my post and to facilitate my honest review of this experience, I received tickets to the event for my family. No other compensation was received and all opinions expressed are my own.

Calling all really useful engines! Thomas the Tank Engine is touring the country right now, taking little engineers on exciting train rides - and we had the chance to experience this fun again this summer! When we rode Thomas last year, Lincoln was recovering from his coffee burn, so we had to be pretty cautious while adventuring. This year, our Day Out With Thomas at Midland Railway in Baldwin City, Kansas was nothing but fun!

The Thomas experience is fun for kids of all ages. On top of the train ride, guests can experience Thomas & Friends themed entertainment - things like Storytelling and Video Viewing, Temporary Tattoos of Island of Sodor friends, an Imagination Station with Arts & Crafts and more. Guests also get the chance to meet Sir Topham Hatt, the Controller of the Railway on the Island of Sodor. Lincoln was really excited when he spotted Sir Topham Hatt and we waited through the line to take a photo with him....however as soon as it was our turn, Lincoln freaked out and ran away. Maybe next year!

The stop in Baldwin City also showcases some local food vendors - and the BBQ from this little trailer is delicious (and reasonably priced)!

We didn't take advantage of most of the activities because the Kansas City metro had been treated to a crazy deluge of rain earlier in the weekend and the grounds were extremely muddy. We waded through once just to get to the picnic tables and then to the restroom, but that was about all we (and our shoes and strollers) could handle.

Our tickets were held at will-call and it was a simple process to pick them up (just needed the confirmation number from our order). We had planned for this to be a family outing, but our Daddy was not feeling well, so I invited my friend Stephanie from Moments That Take My Breath Away and her kids to come along with us. Two moms and four toddlers on a train ride adventure? We said multiple times that we might be crazy, but it worked out really well. We had a family 4-pack of tickets, but since Addie and Connor are under two years old, they were able to just ride on our laps with no tickets.

Realistically, they stood in between the seats and climbed on their siblings and tried to crawl out the windows. But officially, they were lap riders.

Addie's first selfie.

The kids were all so excited when the conductor called "All Aboard" and we headed into the train at Midland Railway. It is a vintage train that's so fun for this experience! The atmosphere is very family-friendly (there's even a place to park strollers during the ride), so thankfully we didn't get any dirty looks when our kids tried to run away or climb over our seats.

Lincoln normally doesn't appreciate things that require him to sit still, so I wasn't sure how he would do on a 25-minute train ride. He surprised me and sat patiently through the entire ride! He was way more into it this year than last - he had a huge grin on his face for most of the ride and spent the last portion with his face out the window, hair blowing in the wind.

Four kids on a train. They were all actually happy...we think.

It was a pretty relaxing ride for Stephanie and me, since the kids were all relatively happy and content to just look out the windows and shout "CHOO-CHOO" from time to time! We were given certificates for each child that stated they had been on a ride with Thomas.

One of the best moments of the trip was when we were all told that we needed to tell Thomas to pull us back to the station. Everyone shouted "Pull, Thomas!" and the kids were just giddy when we headed back with Thomas leading the way. Lincoln's friend Grace said that was her favorite part of the ride!

Addie spots a train on the wall.

After our ride, we waited in line for our turn to take photos with the True Blue Engine, himself! It was a lot of fun having friends along for the journey.

Thomas has already chugged out of the Midland Railway station for 2014, but you can check out the full tour schedule and upcoming cities.

Have you ever taken a ride with Thomas? It's so much fun!

Disclosure: In exchange for my post and to facilitate my honest review of this experience, I received tickets to the event for my family. No other compensation was received and all opinions expressed are my own.

We're happy to have crossed this item off our Summer Bucket List!
Come see what else we're doing to celebrate summer this year!

Visiting Omaha, Nebraska with Kids: Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium {Review}

Disclosure: In exchange for my post and to facilitate my honest review of this experience, I received tickets to this attraction for my family. No other compensation was received and all opinions expressed are my own. Fair warning: this post contains so.many.photos!

When I was a kid, my parents took my brother and myself on a road trip to Omaha, Nebraska, to visit the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. That trip is one I have never forgotten, and I knew that when I had kids, we would have to travel to Omaha for my little ones to have the same experience. From our location in the Kansas City metro, it's about a three-and-a-half hour drive. The beginning of summer seemed as good a time as any to take a mini Midwest family vacation, so we headed off on an adventure at the end of May.

Traveling with toddlers is no joke, so choosing a location that is within a day's driving distance and provides ample entertainment for kids is a must. By far the most prominent tourist destination in the area, the Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium is located in a convenient spot for travelers and is near the charming downtown district.

We love to see all of the variety of animals being cared for at the zoo. The Omaha Zoo offers plenty of ongoing exhibits for visitors; some of our favorites include the Lied Jungle, the Scott Aquarium, the Hubbard Gorilla Valley, Cat Complex, and Expedition Madagascar. We have actually visited this zoo three times now with Lincoln, and he thinks it is pretty cool. On our trip this summer, we arrived right around lunchtime and were able to bring in our cooler of snacks to have a picnic - with giraffes nearby! We are always looking for ways to save money when we travel, so having the option to bring our own food is great. Lincoln typically won't eat food that he doesn't recognize, and there's nothing worse than a hungry kid who is trying to have adventures all day long!

After our lunch, we started off on our zoo adventure by taking a peek at the giraffes! Addie especially loved being up close and personal with these magnificent creatures! Giraffes are one of my favorite animals, too.

The zoo is set up very nicely, so there is always something to see, even while traveling the grounds! Lincoln had fun spotting the cheetahs from atop Daddy's shoulders. The kids were pretty restless after having spent all morning in the car, so one of our first activities was letting them run around on the playground near the Sea Lion Picnic Pavilion.

There are lots of tunnels to climb and explore, plus a fun out-of-commission train car to see, and Lincoln and Addie enjoyed it all. The playground is situated on the grounds to make a very nice break in the day for kids who are getting restless!

We had fantastic (albeit somewhat warm) weather for our trip, and it was not long before we decided to move on and find more animals and some shade!

Our first big exhibit viewed was Expedition Madagascar. This building is 300 feet long and features some of Madagascar's most unusual animals. There are fourteen indoor exhibits that hold a variety of species including fish, reptiles, small mammals, birds, and lemurs.

Hubbard Gorilla Valley is one of our favorite spots in the zoo. The gorillas are easily viewed as they roam about their three acre valley. The interior of the building features a 16' wide, 12' tall, 520' long window that offers awesome visibility of these magnificent animals. When we stopped by on this trip, however, it was naptime!

I love all of the photo opportunities scattered around the zoo. There is always an animal statue to stand beside (or climb on), or some other visually pleasing design element, like the waterfall outside Hubbard Gorilla Valley!

We got to see a tiger wake up from a nap when we stopped by the Cat Complex, and the kids were surprised by how loudly he could roar! This exhibit currently houses 30 cats, including three subspecies of tiger, lion, jaguar, Aur leopard and the North American puma. Last year, we were able to see five lion cubs playing and interacting in their exhibit - it was so cool to watch!

By the time we made it to the Red Barn Park children's area, the kids were definitely ready for some exercise! They hopped out of the stroller and ran into the petting zoo, where they were able to play with some baby goats.

Lincoln found a brush and insisted on brushing every single goat. Addie stayed with one goat most of the time, and just loved it.

We had intended to ride the carousel, but forgot to bring cash with us (whoops), but thankfully the kids were so excited about petting the goats that they didn't seem to mind much.

Before we left, we had to hit a couple of our very favorite exhibits. Next up was the Suzanne and Walter Scott Aquarium. This was the most prominent memory from my childhood trip to Omaha, and I knew that Lincoln and Addie would love seeing all of the sea creatures, too!

The aquarium recently went through a $6.5 million overhaul, and the result is simply beautiful! From the schooling fish that greet you as you enter the door (seen above) to the 500 gallon touch tank featuring urchins, anemones, and starfish, you can tell upon entering that you will have a spectacular experience!

The Aquarium features not only sea creatures, but ocean birds such as puffins, murres, and over 85 penguins of varying species.

For sure, my favorite part of the exhibit remains Shark Reef: an oval-shaped, 70 foot long tunnel that showcases coral heads, canyons and caves in a 17-foot deep tank.Visitors can imagine they are on the ocean floor as stingrays, sand tiger sharks, zebra sharks, and other creatures swim past on two sides and overhead. The exhibit contains over 900,000 gallons of circulating salt water at 77 degrees Fahrenheit! Lincoln and Addie were content to just sit and watch the fish swim by for a few minutes while Mom and Dad caught a break!

I can't even touch on all the creatures in the Aquarium, but rest assured that there are many - and they are all amazing!

We also had to make a stop in the Lied Jungle, another family favorite. The exhibit - one of the largest of its kind in the world - covers one and a half acres and is as tall as an eight-story building. Visitors wander through the rainforests of Asia, Africa, and South America to encounter animals such as Malayan tapir, gibbons, small clawed otters, pygmy hippos, spider monkeys, and so many more!

There are many fun places to explore and even more photo opportunities - from the second-tallest waterfall in Nebraska to the swinging suspension bridge, to the underwater pygmy hippo viewing area. It is easy to feel completely immersed in the jungle!

I am so thrilled that we live only a short distance from this fantastic, educational resource for my children. We hope to visit at least once every couple years when Lincoln and Addie reach school age to supplement our homeschooling adventures!

You can see the Desert Dome in the background of the photos below - I didn't get any great shots inside the building on this trip, but it's another must-see at Henry Doorly's Zoo and Aquarium! The dome is one of the most unique exhibit buildings I've ever seen, for sure!

Thank you to the Omaha Zoo for being so amazing! Our little family thoroughly enjoyed our time exploring the zoo - and I know there are still a lot of things we have yet to see! That's just an excuse for us to continue to go back for more adventures.

We encountered some construction during our visit, which I learned is in preparation of the upcoming African Grasslands project (the largest project in Zoo history) - a $70 million endeavor which will open in 2016. We can't wait!

If you're planning a trip Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo, it's definitely an affordable family vacation option. Adult tickets are $15, children ages 3-11 are $10, and kids 2 and under are free. If you have a membership to your home zoo, make sure you ask about reciprocal rates (we can normally get in for half price with our Kansas City Zoo membership).

You can check out all the exhibits and animals at the Omaha Zoo website, and keep up with the latest news on Facebook and Twitter.

Disclosure: In exchange for my post and to facilitate my honest review of this experience, I received tickets to this attraction for my family. No other compensation was received and all opinions expressed are my own.