IKEA with kids

It's only been open for a few months, but I've been to the Ikea in West Chester twice now, and my house is definitely looking more Ikea-ey: there's the funky orange duvet cover on our bed, for one, and of course I had to get matching orange curtains... anyway, other than a general warning that shopping there could be hazardous to your household budget, there are some things to keep in mind when trekking to the only Swedish shopping wonderland in Ohio.
The first time we went was on a Saturday night; the crowds were manageable, but it took us 30 minutes -- maybe an hour -- to check out. The second time, I went on a weekday afternoon; checkout took no time at all.
You've probably heard about Smaland, the free childcare service at Ikea. Here are some things I learned, after checking my 2- and 5-year-old boys in recently:
1. Your child must be potty trained and meet a height requirement (no less than 37" tall and no greater than 54" tall) to get in. SS, almost 3, was just a hair too short, but they let him in anyway.
2. Budget 10-15 minutes to get your child checked in, or perhaps longer on a busy day when you may have to wait for a spot. Before standing in line, look on the nearby wall for forms to fill out, and grab a bin for shoes.
3. Once inside, the children can play on the fun-looking play structures (I seem to recall a giant high-heeled shoe and a ball pit). They can also color or go up into a loft to watch a kid-friendly movie (Ratatouille was playing recently). My older son seemed perfectly content, but my little one was distressed because checking him out took so long, and he couldn't understand why the staff wouldn't let him through the emergency glass door to get to me, pronto.
4. Ikea will babysit the children for about an hour, which should be enough time to get your shopping done if you already have a pretty good idea of what you need (and you don't ponder all your choices in the "Marketplace" for too long). Parents receive a pager in case of emergencies. Don't forget to reserve time for checkout.
If you've got a craving for Swedish meatballs, there's a lot of kid-friendly food at the food court, starting at 99 cents... but you probably already knew that.
The drive from Oxford takes about 45 minutes, but you can combine an Ikea trip with several other excursions. See our entries (coming soon) on "Sharon Woods" and "Fossil Park."
Happy shopping!
Store info:
LINK: http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/IkeaNearYouView?storeId=12&catalogId=11001&langId=-1&StoreName=west_chester
Address:
9500 IKEA Way
West Chester, Ohio 45069
Phone: 513.779.7100
Store Hours:
10 a.m. - 9 p.m. Daily
Directions: From Oxford, take 130 into Hamilton. Turn right onto Main St. (177) and go through downtown Hamilton. Continue on High St. Continue on Michael a Fox Hwy. Take exit 21 for OH-747 toward Middletown/Springdale. Turn right at OH-747/Princeton Glendale Rd. Turn left at Union Centre Blvd. Turn right at Allen Rd. Look for the giant Ikea sign.

Ikea side-trips (with Fossil Park AND Sharon Woods Park)

Here's some great options for sidetrips when you make your way to Ikea. We investigated today, and were really pleased with everything. It was a fun daytrip.



1. Trammel Fossil Park, Tramway Dr., Sharonville, OH (45-50 minutes from Oxford)

This is a nationally reknown fossil park that is--FREE, and chocked full of great fossil finds. We were there with very small kids and they each had their little buckets full in no time. Not much shade and the terrain is rocky (hence the fossils), so we recommend okay shoes for walking/climbing around. And it's probably best to stop here first in morning, or last in evening, to avoid the hot summer sun.

Directions from Oxford:

Mapquest took us 27 south, 275 North, Sharonville exit (just past the exit for I-75). Turn North (which I think is left) on Lebanon rd. Take first left onto Hauck Dr. Go half mile to Tramway Drive and turn right. It is two blocks up on Tramway Drive.


2. Sharon Woods, Sharonville, OH (45-50 minutes from Oxford--5 minutes from Fossil park)


They have a fantastic indoor play area. It costs $2.50, but if you buy 4 entries you get one free (to be used at any time- including that day--for the next year). The center is clean and we liked that you could use big people stairs to go up to the top level of the play area. I also noticed a handicapped accessible lift that could take people up to the top level. It has climbing and tubes, a ball area. Oh, and air conditioning. We had to drag our kids away. We did have a few heart-stopping moments when we tried to locate one of the kids who were in one of the non-see-through tubes. But there is only one way in and out of the play area, so that is reassuring.



There is also a pioneer village, outdoor sprinkler playground, nature center area, and several outdoor playgrounds.



Directions: From the fossil park, go back out to Lebanon Rd. and turn right. The park will be on your left after about a mile. (also can turn right onto Lebanon Rd. from 275 if skipping fossil park).


Directions From Sharon Woods TO IKEA (10-15 minutes)-- Go right on Lebanon Rd., then left on Kemper. At Reading Rd. turn right. This turns into Cincinnati Dayton Rd. Turn left on Allen Rd. and you'll see Ikea's flags almost immediately.


EXTRA: BANANA's Inflatables
If you are taking 129 to and from IKEA, you'll be also going right past Banana's. I can't blog much on it, since I haven't been there. But I hear it has big inflatable jumping stuff for kids. And it's indoor's. I have seen it on 129 near the 129/I-75 interchange (going west on 129 from I-75 it's on your left).

Squeezing in some nature time

I came across some quick excursions here in Oxford that I thought I'd share. These are bite-sized little trips, great for an afternoon when you have an extra 20 minutes to hold your kid's hand and wonder at nature for a little while.
The first is the Black (Pugh's Mill) covered bridge (LINK), which is on Corso Rd. off 732. It's a very short drive from the Doctor's Park, the pediatrician, and the dentist and vet offices near there (look for a sign on the left), so I've taken my kids there as a treat sometimes after an appointment. The bridge itself is fun to walk across, and at the end, there's a small but rather steep path down to a little creek where my boys love to throw rocks and pebbles. There's also a lovely flower garden and a picnic bench.
I also recently discovered the sculptures on the back lawn of the art museum on campus (LINK). SS and I found some well-groomed trails to walk along and stumbled across one exhibit we like to call the Hobbit Hole. It was hot, though, so bring water, or a hat, or a parasol... Also, note that the indoor galleries are closed for renovations until Sept. 15, according to their web site.
Finally, if you haven't been to the Miami's formal gardens, on Patterson Ave. across from the Miami Inn (LINK), summer is a great time to check it out. Lots of pretty flowers were in bloom the last time we went there for a picnic lunch -- great spot for photos. Enjoy!

Shademakers Gardening in Oxford

We made our annual trip out to Shademakers yesterday. It's one of the few times I actually plan around bringing my kids with me to shop. Shademakers is basically a farm with a greenhouse out on Fairfield Rd. (not far from the Community Park). Besides the kids gardening items they usually carry in their store, and the cool selection of plants and organic seeds. They also have farm animals for kids to see and pet. When we have gone, the workers have been great about offering to show my kids the animals. Our first time there, she actually walked the kids over to see the donkey while I picked out our flowers.

Yesterday we discovered 5-6 baby chicks had been born, and SC even got to hold one! Thomas, the big goat, loves to be petted. And Claribel, their minature donkey, is SC's favorite. The worker said there is a possibility that Claribell might be pregnant. SC got the biggest kick hearing about the "love affair" between Cocoa and Claribell--the worker said that Cocoa, a miniture donkey from a nearby farm, and Claribell spent some time together. She said that Claribell sometimes calls to Cocoa because she misses him (sweet!).

Directions: Take Fairfield Ave. out of town, past Oxford Community Park. Shademakers will be on your left (after Riggs Rd.).

Keep your kids busy this summer

Who knew that a town with a summertime population of less than 10,000 would have such a wealth of summertime activities for kids? I spent one afternoon trying to map out my 5-year-old's summer schedule and ended up with a calendar stuffed with everything from swimming to ice skating. Here's a rough guide to some of the things your kid can venture forth and do when school gets out.

Tots and Babies

Baby Time LINK
Songs, rhymes and stories for really wee ones will be available Mondays at the Lane Public Library, July 7, 14, 21 and 28. Babies from 12 to 23 months can attend from 10 to 10:45 a.m. Babies from 0 to 12 months attend from 11 to 11:45 a.m. It's free!

Toddler Story Time LINK
There are two sessions for toddler story time at the Lane Public Library, both from 11 to 11:30 a.m. One runs on Tuesdays, from June 3 to July 22; the other runs on Wednesdays, from June 4 to July 23. Registration began May 27. It's free. Best of all, Mr. Perky Bird will be there. Don't forget family story time at 10:30 a.m. on Fridays from June 5 to Aug. 15. All ages are welcome, and you don't need to register.

Summer Snoopers LINK
Three- to five-year-olds can learn about sports, dinosaurs, cooking and a bunch of other fun stuff at a day camp run through Oxford's Parks and Recreation Department. Children attend from 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday for $57 a week. They also get a daily swim. The first session starts June 9; the last one starts July 28.

Ice Skating PDF BROCHURE
LINK
Tots ages 3 to 5 can learn to skate at the Goggin Ice Center through three sessions: Fridays, June 13, 20, 27 and July 11; Monday through Thursday, July 14-17; or Monday through Thursday, July 21-24. Classes take place in the evenings -- check the online brochure for what level your child may qualify for, and what times classes are held for those levels. The first registation deadline is on June 6.

Swim lessons LINK
Children as young as 6 months can start splashing away at the town pool at the Tri Community Center, starting June 16. Prices start at $32 for a two-week session (Monday through Friday). Lessons are 30 to 50 minutes, depending on your child's level. Check the web site for times, dates, and level information.

Ages 5 and up

Art class LINK
The Oxford Community Arts Center has a "Fun with Art" class for kids ages 5-6. It runs on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays for two weeks, from June 16-27. The class takes place from 10:45 a.m. to noon at the arts center and is taught by studio artist Chrissy Collopy, who also used to teach young children at the Oxford Early Education Center. Last I heard, there were a few spots left. It's $40 per child.

Gardeneering Camp LINK
Kids ages 6 to 12 can help cultivate a children's garden at the Oxford Community Arts Center on Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. to noon. There are three sessions, each consisting of three consecutive Saturdays. Session I starts June 14; session II starts July 12; and session III starts Aug. 2. The cost is $30 per session.

Kids in College LINK
Miami University offers several educational camps on campus. Most are for older kids, but there are a couple for ages 6 to 11. "Can You Dig It? Fossil Hunt!" runs from 12:30-3:30 p.m. from July 14 through 18 and costs $145. "Make and Take It Home," where kids make their own toys, runs from 9 a.m. to noon that same week and costs the same. Older kids can take Spanish, self-defense and even a Bollywood class.

Story Time LINK
Kids ages 4-6 get their own story time at the Lane Public Library at 10:15 a.m. on Tuesdays, from June 3 to July 22. Registration began on May 20. Don't forget family story time at 10:30 a.m. on Fridays from June 5 to Aug. 15. All ages are welcome, and you don't need to register.

Picture Your World LINK
Kids ages 6 to 9 receive a disposable camera to document their own experiences in this workshop, which runs from 4 to 5 p.m. Fridays, June 6, 13, 20 and 27. Registration began May 30.

REC Kids Camp LINK
Kids ages 6 to 12 spend a week at a time swimming in the Rec Center pool on campus, playing dodgeball, bowling and going on fabulous field trips, including to the Cincinnati Museum Center and to the Beach Water Park. Each week-long session costs $125 or $150, depending on your membership status at the gym. Sessions begin June 9; the last session begins July 28. Camp runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, with additional supervised hours available.

Camp Invention LINK
Kids entering grades one through six can sign up for Camp Invention at Bogan Elementary. It runs from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. the week of June 16-20. Local teachers present hands-on learning activities in physics, engineering and problem solving. Cost: $205.

Great Outdoors Adventure Camp PDF LINK
The Oxford Parks and Recreation Department's camp for children entering kindergarten through the sixth grade takes place from 7:15 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays from June 9 to Aug. 15. Daily fees start at $25 for residents, while weekly fees start at $81.

Beyond Oxford

Safety Town LINK
The boys and I were at McDonald's when I picked up a flyer about "Safety Town," a safety class for kids ages 4 and 5. It's held during five week-long sessions from 10 a.m. to noon at Power House Park in Hamilton (E. River Rd. and Williams Ave.) The first session starts June 9; the last one starts July 14. In a classroom and through a simulated "Safety Town Village," kids learn about pedestrian, vehicle, school bus and fire safety, and they learn how to deal with strangers. It's free. For more information, call the Greater Hamilton Safety Council at 896-5333.

If you're willing to drive, there are also some interesting camps at the Cincinnati Zoo (LINK), the Cincinnati Museum Center (LINK), and the Cincinnati Art Museum. (LINK)

This is not an exhaustive list -- feel free to post other ideas you might have!

Cake Decorating Ideas: Bear Cupcakes

I am definitely not an expert cake decorator. My mom always made our cakes, so I do my best with my boys:) I thought it would be fun to share ideas on the blog. Comments and additions are welcome! You can also e-mail me cake pictures (if you know who I am;) and I'd be happy to post them on the blog.

I made these bear cupcakes for my elementary group to eat during our games, after watching "Prince Caspian" this weekend. In the book they eat bear meat, although in the movie they just kill the bear. Gross, I know. Anyway, they were so easy my 6 year old actually did most of the decorating. My afterschool kids at church loved them! Start with any cupcake recipe. I made mine from scratch only because I didn't have a mix on hand and couldn't run to the store.

For decorating I used: white chocolate mini reese's cups, mini nutterbutter cookies, white chocolate chips, and chocolate icing.

It probably would have looked more authentic with regular mini reese's, but I didn't want to make or buy white icing in addition to the chocolate (was short on time) and chocolate icing would not have shown up. Also could use mini oreo's for ears and a mini nilla wafer for mouth if you don't like peanut butter.

1. Ice cupcakes

2. Put Reese's bottom-side up for nose/mouth.

2. Put two choc. chips for eyes

3. Cut cookie in half and put in icing for ears

4. Use contrasting icing to decorate mouth, nose, and eye dots.

5. Enjoy!

Diaper Cake (you don't eat it!)

I thought, since our playgroup has had so many babies being born lately, I'd post this great babyshower/baby gift idea. I've seen much more elaborate ones online, but this "cake" I put together for my college roommate babyshower last year still turned out cool. It looks like a cake, but it's made out of diapers with baby essentials shuved in.

Here's how I did mine:

You will need-- 1 pkg of newborn diapers, a one or two inch pretty ribbon, rubber bands, a paper towel tube, and something for on top (a toy, stuffed animal or something).

1. Roll the diapers up one at a time and secure with rubberband around middle. I didn't have to use the entire package (don't remember how many it took).

2. Put three rows of rolled diapers around the paper towel tube to look like the bottom layer.

3. Tie the ribbon around the outter layer to hold the whole bottom in place (and hide rubberbands)

3. Put two rows on top of that, then one row on the top. Secure each row with a ribbon that you tie in a pretty fashion. It will look like a tiered cake when done.

4. You can tuck socks, hats, rattles, etc into the ribbon or between the diaper layers. I bought a whole bunch of hats and socks at the Gap outlet.

5. Put the cute animal or toy on top to cover the paper towel hole. Since I had to get mine to Indy, I secured the monkey with a few straight pins (do this carefully, making sure to let the person you are giving it to so they know where those are--no one wants any prickly surprises).

Voila! Makes a great babyshower centerpiece.

A swimming pool you wouldn't think of....

Most people don't know that you can buy a pass to swim at the Baymont Inn on 27. We have friends who go to the Baymont Inn (formerly Amerihost Inn) to swim every morning. The monthly family passes are an exceptionally great value. Baymont Inn's indoor pool isn't huge, but Sullivan and Theo have liked it the times we've been there. It's not normally crowded, especially mid-week. There isn't a lifeguard (like most hotel pools), so parents have to be in with their kids.

An individual monthly pass is $20, but a Family pass (which includes everyone in your immediate family) is $25 for the month.

I think that makes this a great option -- especially during the "cabin-fever inducing" winter months.

Directions: Take 27 North out of Oxford. It will be on your right following Wendy's a bit (before Walmart).

Phone: 523-2733

Violin Lessons in Oxford

After attending a "Peter and the Wolf Concert" my 5 year old, SC, decided he wanted to learn violin. A year later he was still asking, so we did some research and found a really great program that is run out of Miami. It came highly recommended, and its cost is pretty competitive with what I hear other instrument lessons, like piano, are going for now. We are hoping it will be an investment. Even if he doesn't keep up with violin, he's working on developing his musical abilities.

He's only been taking lessons for a month, but he loves his teacher and he still doesn't complain about practicing. Violin is a difficult instrument, and most of their first lessons are spent working on how to hold it properly with good form. He was allowed to use the bow for the first time this week. I was afraid SC would get bored with this beginning, tedious part, but SC's teacher has made it fun with cute rhymes and easy to practice assignments. She keeps saying "quality over quantity" concerning practice time.

Virginia Glick Young Musicians Program
http://www.fna.muohio.edu/musweb/programs/special/YoungMusiciansProgram.html
Cost: $20/30 minute lesson. 3 Saturday group lessons are included free.
Follows Miami's schedule, one private lesson per week (15 total)
All students are encouraged to perform in the recital following each semester. Recitals are open to public, in Souers Hall at Miami.

AGE? 4 years old and up.

Violin Rental is $16/month from Baroque Violin Shop https://baroqueviolinshop.ppcserver.net/rentalform.php

Kids eat (practically) free

I was pleasantly surprised to learn recently that kids eat free at Kona (www.konabistro.com) every day from 5-6 p.m. Always in search of a bargain, I'm hoping that others who read this post will help add to the Kids Eat Free list.
Here's one other place that I know of: at the Golden Dragon Chinese Buffet in Hamilton (take Main St. to the Goodwill/JoAnn Fabrics shopping center, on the left, before you hit downtown Hamilton), kids under 3 eat free; ages 3-6 are $2.35 for lunch/$3.75 for dinner; kids from 7-11 are $3.85 lunch/$4.75 dinner. (Adults are $5.69 lunch/$8.89 dinner, but it's a bit pricier on weekends).
I think kids might also eat free at the Skyline Chili and the China One in Oxford, and possibly at the Golden Corral in Hamilton, but I haven't had a chance to do any research on those places yet. If you have any info, please let me know. Thanks!

Lunar Mini Golf

The kids and I were looking for a way to kill a Saturday afternoon while Rich was away at a conference, so we wound up at the Cincinnati Mills Mall, where we haven't been in ages. It's a little disconcerting to see that so many of the stores there are now empty. Still, it's a fun place for little ones to burn off some energy indoors. There's a PBS Kids playground, which is good for 20-30 minutes of jumping around. The big draw, of course, is the Wonder Park, a Chuckie Cheese-like place with pizza, tons of video games (most of which cost at least 50 cents to play), and kiddie rides that range from $1 to $3.
But what really got the boys excited this time was Lunar Mini Golf. Right next to the Wonder Park, we discovered an indoor mini-golf course that offered so many things my boys enjoy: sticks, balls, and stuff that glows in the dark. The indoor course isn't fancy -- there aren't windmills or hippos bathing in waterfalls -- but there are two courses with 18 holes each that are challenging but not too frustrating for children. The gimmick is that the entire operation takes place in the dark, except for blacklights that set off the fluorescent course in an otherworldly sort of way. (In fact, SH thought we were playing "Alien Hockey").
Kids 5 and younger can play up to three rounds for only $3 (the man behind the counter let SS, age 2, "play" for free). Kids 6-12 pay $6 and adults pay $8, but there's no requirement that the adult has to play. SH, SS and I spent a really fun hour knocking little glowing golf balls around, all for three bucks. I highly recommend it.
What: Lunar Mini Golf
Where: Cincinnati Mills Mall. Take 27 to I-275 E. toward Dayton. Take the Winton Rd. Exit, #39. Turn left. The mall will be on the right. Takes about 40 minutes from Oxford.
When: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday

*Holiday Drive-In Movie Theater*

I can still remember the first time I went to a drive-in movie: The Muppets Take Manhattan. I still think it's genius. There is food, and often multiple movies, merged with the joy of being under the stars. As a mom, the really appealing part is that I don't have to worry about ruining the movie experience for someone else when one of my kids gets cranky.

So we were ecstatic to discover the Holiday Auto Drive-In Theater in Hamilton. http://www.holidayautotheatre.com/
It is actually about 2 minutes from Hanover park, so it is maybe 20 minutes from Oxford. We have been twice, once with the kids and once on a date. We dream of going every time we get our e-mail update about what's playing, though! They were both great experiences. The coolest thing was the intermission snack commercials between the movies, complete with classic cartoons. We felt like we were blasted into the past as the singing hotdog did a song and dance on how "weiners" will fix friendships and make everyone happy...wouldn't you like to have a weiner?

The Drive-in just went under new ownership that has started "Retro Wednesday and Thursdays." These are school nights, so we are eagerly awaiting summertime. A good example of retro night was when they did John Hughes and showed "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" and "Breakfast Club." They've also had Alfred Hitcock and other cool movies. RETRO prices are only $5.00 for adults, $2.00 for kids ages 4-11, and free for kids under 4. Box office opens at 6pm with a 700pm showtime.

The new ownership has also been doing more triple features on weekends, which is cool. During the winter, they are only open daily until Jan. 1st. Last year they closed for the cold months, and reopened in the spring. I would check out the website to see what's going on!

Admission Prices...Adults: $8.00, Children under 11: $5.00, Children under 4: FREE!

The only down-side, is that the movies run late (8pm-Mid, or 1am). So, if you think you're kids will sleep in the car, you'll have it made. Ours didn't which is why we don't go as much as we'd like to.

Tips: Bring lawnchairs if it's warm out! And they have Wi-Fi, so you can bring your laptop and get high speed. You can buy an outside food permit, to allow you to bring your own food (it's $5.00), but otherwise outside food will get you thrown out. I would arrive early on nice, summer, weekends. We've been past on nice summer nights and the traffic was aweful.

***Sign-up for their e-mail list and you'll get weekly updates on what is playing and all their special events.

Directions: Take 27 south, out of Oxford. Turn left at the second (out of town) light, Old Oxford Road. This will take you past Hanover park and the water company. The Drive-in is on your left (2-3 minutes past Hanover park).

Sledding in Oxford!

With our second snow of the season (where did our road go?), I felt inspired to blog some great sledding locations. If you have any additions of little known sledding hills, please leave a comment or e-mail me and I'll add it on!

The very best unofficial sledding hill I have ever seen is next to the horseman's area of Hueston woods. In fact, I hesitate to post it because we love it when it's not crowded:) The hill is close to parking, well monitored on clear, busy days, and REALLY big and fun. 3-4 year olds would be okay (if you maybe didn't go to top), but older kids (including parents) would especially have a blast.

Directions: From Brown Rd. Take Brown road out of Oxford to the end. Turn left at the "T." Drive past the Nature area turn, over a small creek bridge, and turn left at the bike rental booth. We always get this turn mixed up with the camping ground turn, but I think it's the left turn after the camp grounds (before the sign in the picture that says "Tours Rentals"). You'll curve to the right, and there is the horse area on your right almost immediately. Turn into that area, and it will "U" around back to the road. Follow the U past the horse area, before it rejoins the road, and you're there. There is parking, and you'll see the sledding hill off the driveway onto your right.

From Todd Rd. (the road next to Walmart). Follow Todd Rd. to Hueston Woods. It joins another road (there may be a stop there) and curves around a bit. When it "T"'s (there are boats parked on your right), turn left. Turn left at the bike rental booth (2nd turn), then follow it around and turn into the horseman area on your right (as mentioned above).

*************
I heard from a mom at playgroup a few weeks ago that the Miami University Art Museum has a great sledding hill behind the museum. That's the other side of Oxford for us, but when the roads are clear I'd like to check it out.

Directions: Take 27 South (east) past the clock tower, and the museum is on your left before you get out of town. You can't miss the big, weird, red, metal sculpture thing in front.

*************
Another sledding area near the Art Museum is Peffer Park. I heard from another mom that it's a popular sledding location!

Directions: Continue on 27 South past the Art Museum, and Peffer Park is on your right (I actually looked those directions up on google maps, so hopefully that's right...it might be left).

Jungle Jim's

So you've just moved to Oxford from someplace bigger, and immediately, you lament the lack of an Indian restaurant here. Or maybe you've got a craving for some pho, or some really fresh sushi. Perhaps your problem is that you need baklava, and lots of it. Head to Jungle Jim's, my foodie friends.
I won't go on and on about what a food-lover's paradise it is. You probably already know it carries a huge selection of international groceries. Need tea from Africa? check. Want to try a so-called 10,000-year-old egg from China? check. Looking for candied grasshoppers, or maybe a turducken? You can find it at Jungle Jim's.
I thought I'd highlight two products from the Asian section that I've recommended to several people. One is the frozen dumplings. The kind we love is made by a Taiwanese company called Wei-Chuan. It almost doesn't matter what flavor you get. Look for a logo that says "New and Improved!"
Granted, they're not quite like homemade dumplings, but they're really, really close, and they're WAY better than the doughy versions you find at most Chinese restaurants. Making Chinese dumplings at home is something like a 12-step process that can take all day. With the frozen kind, all you have to do is boil water. If you prefer potstickers, you can pan fry/steam them. Look for directions on the back.
While you're having dumplings, you might as well get the most delicious soy sauce I've ever tasted. It's also made by Wei-Chuan and is available at Jungle Jim's in a tall bottle in the Taiwanese aisle. It's called Prime China soy sauce. It's much thicker than Kikkoman and is rather sweet, with a wonderful soy-saucy flavor. I'm addicted.
Finally, because this is not a commercial for Jungle Jim's, I should mention that you can find slightly better prices (on the dumplings, at least) at a small Oriental market just up Dixie Rd. As you're headed home from Jungle Jim's, look for a rather forlorn little shopping center a few blocks ahead on the right, with one or perhaps two shops in it. The market carries a larger selection of Chinese groceries than JJ's. You can also buy cookware, chopsticks, incense, tiger balm and other cool stuff.
What: Jungle Jim's
Where: 5440 Dixie Highway. Take 27 N. out of Oxford. Turn left onto 130 as if headed to Hamilton. Turn right onto Main St. (177) in Hamilton, and go through the shopping district there. Turn right onto OH 4 South, which turns into Dixie Highway. Look on your left for the Jungle Jim's complex, which looks a bit like Disney World, complete with its own monorail. Takes about 35-40 minutes to get there.
Contact: (513) 674-6000
Hours: Opens at 8 a.m. and closes at 10 pm, which is good if you or your spouse wants to make a late-night trip after the kids have gone to bed. Note that it closes early on the major holidays.

Day Trip to Indianapolis Children's Museum and Art Museum

Indianapolis is about a 2 hour drive from Oxford, but if you are looking for a place you can kill an entire day...The Children's Museum is your place. There is so much to do at the Children's Museum in Indy that you could easily spend the entire day there and still not get to everything. The Children's Museum is also not far from the Indianapolis Art Museum, which is free. In college the Art Museum was one of my favorite places to bag a lunch because of the really great outdoor sculpture gardens. You might be pushing it to do them both in one day, but if you don't mind getting home later you could do the Children's Museum 10am-2 or 3pm, then the Art Museum 2-4 or 5pm. If you do that, check into the kid's "scavengar hunt" hand outs at the IMA that has things for kids to look for in the exhibits. That might keep them a little more engaged. Even if they only last 1 hour at the Art Museum, it's free so there's not much to lose in stopping by since it's only 4 minutes from the Children's Museum.

Another great place is the Super Hero museum downtown...maybe I'll do another Downtown Indy post. I grew up around Indy, and have a lot of family there, so we love going back:)

The Children's Museum has a walk-through food area if you don't want to bag it. But we always pack our lunch. There is a family "picnic" area on level 2 (by the water clock) where you can leave your labeled lunch until lunch time if you want.

Children's Museum website: http://www.childrensmuseum.org/
Cost: Youth (2-17) $7.50
Adults $12.50
Hours: 10-
Free days (these are sometimes more crowded): Jan. 21 MLK Day; Feb. 18 Presidents Day; April 27 El Dia de Los Ninos; Dec. 24 Christmas Eve (10 a.m. – 2 p.m.)
**Although we feel the cost is a bit steep, it does include free planetarium shows or children's theater...among other stuff. With family in Indy area, we end up going there 2-3 times a year.

The Children's Museum is 5 floors of exibits, with an area just for traveling exhibits. It can be overwhelming to figure out where to go first. Here is our best suggestions for making the most of your visit:

1. After getting our tickets, we go immediately down to the Lower Level to see what Planetarium shows or Plays we want to get tickets to. These are FREE, but you still have to get a ticket and they very often run out of tickets for shows. We recommend "The Sky Above Mr. Rogers Neighborhood" in the Planetarium (even our 2 year old has sat through this). Also "Far Far Away" is a great planetarium show, comparing real planets and moons to the planets on Star Wars. This show is for 5 year old and up. Last week we also enjoyed the 40 minute musical "Babes in Toyland" in the Lily Theater--there was music and dancing, and the boys loved it. Afterwards the actors come out so the kids can get pictures and meet them:) To see what they are currently offering before you go, you can check out their website.

2. If you have older kids who would like to rock climb, there is a kid climbing wall on level 4 in "Science Works." You have to sign up in advance for this also, and every time we go we forget until too late and then they are already done for the day. I think it's also free (or very cheap). So I would head here next if your child wants to climb.

3. I suggest prioritizing what everyone wants to see most. Here are our favorite areas:
Level 3 "Playscape" (Our 2 year olds fav): This area is for 1-5 year olds. There is one way in and out, and it is monitored by a puppeted attendant who makes sure that the room doesn't have too many people (and kids don't leave without parents). There is a water area, sand area, house/play food area, climbing/slide area, building block area, and pretend area. There's is also a room for nursing mom's (bonus!). What I like best is that they have story time, song time, or craft time 4-5 times a day. Our 2 year old loves it.

Level 4 "Science Works" (Our 5 year olds fav): This room has great hands-on activities to help kids experience science. There's a great water area, construction building area, and several labs that do programs throughout the day. One time we went and we got to separate and study DNA of some type of wheat or corn meal.

The Carosel (level 4): It's a fun, historic carosel, and just costs $1.00 to ride. You can buy carosel tickets at the admissions gate, or from a machine at the carosel.

Lower Level "Trains": There is a real engine that "comes alive" via lights and sounds at the top of each hour. It's connected to a train car where, when you walk through, has screens in the windows to make it feel like you are moving. Also a play train table, and an model train set with trains that go around on rails along the top of the wall. Neighboring it in "What if.." there is a real mummy and other cool things to explore...

DinoSphere: This is through a walkway on the LL (past the trains) and on Level 1 (to the right of the main entrance). There is a large spherical room with large dinosaurs (many actual bones, some replica's). The sphere emulates an environment, and periodically it even looks like it's raining. The Museum has it's own lab for processing Dinosaur fossils, and last year they held a contest to name a new dinosaur that they discovered. It's pretty cool, but honestly my boys favorite part is playing with the little toy dinosaurs there.

Star Wars Toy Exibit (level 2 and basement display): Someone donated loads of star wars collectors toys. They have a very small amount of them on display now.

Special Exibits (level 2): Every Christmas season they bring Santa and have a Winter Wonderland exibit. They turn the main stairs into a slide, which is cool but the line for it was really long when we were there. Usually we like their Santa, though (real beard, same one past 3 years, so we have consistent pictures). Every 3-4 months brings a new additional exibit. Some favorites from the past have been "Bob the Builder" and "Spy." Right now is "Robots" which my 5 year old loved.
Of course there is lots more! Those are just what we normally try to hit.

ART MUSEUM OPTION (IMA)!
website: http://www.indianapolisartmuseum.com/
We recently took S.C., our 5 year old, to the Indianapolis Art Museum and he loved it. For a small, FREE, Museum they have some great works of art. Right now their Van Gogh's are on loan, but among their good ones they have a Georges Seurat and a collection of Georgia O'Keef paintings. Actually their International collection is pretty neat too. But S.C. and T.C loved the kid's "Hands On" art area. In good weather, there is an outdoor sculpture garden that you can drive, or walk, around the Art Grounds to see. It's 152 Acres!
Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday 11 am to 5 pm
Thursday and Friday 11 am to 9 pm
Sunday noon to 5 pm
Closed Mondays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year‘s days

DIRECTIONS:
From Oxford to the IMA or Children's Museum
Take 27 north, through Liberty (make sure to cure around the square to your right and follow signs). Turn left on "Pottershop" Rd at the sign that says "Abington." This is after Liberty but some ways before you get to Richmond. At the next stop sign, turn right (after this the road curves almost imediately to the left, follow that). You'll eventually get to Centerville. Keep Going until you get to I-70. Go left, or west, on I-70. Stay on I-70 until you get into Indianapolis. Merge onto I-65 north toward Chicago at exit 83B. Take 29th Street/30th Street (exit 116).

CHILDREN'S MUSEUM: Turn Right (east) onto 30th Street. Turn left after about 5 blocks at Illinois Street. Stay in the left lane, and turn almost immediately into the parking garage (you'll see the Museum on your right). Parking is FREE. There is a walkway on the 2.5 parking level.

IMA: Turn left (west) onto 30th Street and go about one-third mile to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street. Turn right (north) and go about 1.1 miles. Note: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street becomes Michigan Road north of the 38th Street intersection. Turn left at the traffic light at 4000 Michigan Road onto the IMA grounds.

From IMA to Children's Museum
Go South on Michigan Road. Turn left on 38th Street. Turn Right on Meridian. Turn Right on 30th Street, and then right again at next light (at the Dinosaur) to park. The Garage is immediately on your left and is FREE. There is a walkway from the garage to the museum on level 2.5.

From Children's Museum to Oxford
Follow signs to exit parking garage. Turn right out of the Garage onto 30th. Follow signs to I65 South. Reverse the rest of the directions listed above to get home.

From IMA to Oxford
Go South on Michigan Rd. Continue as it turns into Dr. Martin Luther King St. Turn left on 30th street, then follow signs to get on I65 South. Reverse the rest of the directions listed above to get home.

Make Your Own Train Table!

I have had so many requests for this website that I decided to post the link on Bloxford, rather than type it in another e-mail!

We investigated getting our two year old a train table for his new train set, and we were amazed by the variety of low quality, high cost options! I investigated online and found this website with complete plans for building your own train table/play table. They are incredibly complete, detailed, easy to follow plans! We took the diagrammed plans for how to cut the wood to Gilman's and had them cut it all out and get us the wood we needed. At $0.50 a cut it was about $10 for the cuts and $30 for the wood. Then we just screwed it together using the directions. Once the wood was cut, it was honestly just as easy as assembling any prefabricated furniture. It is a great size, very sturdy, and has wonderful underneath storage space. I think it took me one evening of 2-3 hours. The most time consuming part was painting it.

*When cutting plywood, it is important to use a cabinet grade saw. Otherwise the plywood will splinter and chip on the edges. It took Gilman's awhile to get that figured out and get the right saw. Once they did, however, it was beautiful.

http://www.squirreltracks.com/howto/traintable.html#theplans

If you want to try this project, you'll need:
A copy of the diagram and directions from the website above
A box of wood screws (we opted for dry wall kind that you just drive right in...I pre-drilled a 1/8 inch hole to prevent splintering)
The wood amounts and sizes listed in the directions
An electric screwdriver/drill
wood glue is optional (but I recommend using it to make the table sturdier at the joints)
Paint (we used a small jar/pint of kid-safe white for the frame, then bought big bottles of cheap acrylic paint in the craft department for the design on top)

Dayton in a day

If you're willing to drive about an hour, there are two fun indoor places we've been to in Dayton.
The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery is a science museum that feels more like a children's museum. The place just keeps going on and on. On the first floor, there's a baby play area for wee ones, plus a water play area and a huge climbing structure for older kids. Upstairs, there's a treehouse that overlooks the woods, a play grocery store, and even a small zoo. You could easily spend two or three hours here. Do pack lunch; there's a small eating area with vending machines, but no hot food. Admission is $8.50 for adults and $7 for kids 2-12. It's free if you're a member of the Cincinnati Museum Center.
WHAT: Boonshoft Museum of Discovery
WHEN: 9-5 Mon-Fri; 11-5 Sat; 12-5 Sun.
WHERE: Take 73E out of Oxford and follow it for about 17 miles until you hit OH-4. Merge onto OH-4 North. Turn right onto 14th Ave/MLK JR. Way. Turn slight right to follow OH-122 E. Merge onto I-75N toward dayton. Go about 21 miles. Take 75 North and exit on the Wagner Ford (Exit 57 B). Then take a left onto Wagner Ford. Go right (north) on N. Dixie, then turn left onto Siebenthaler. Take a left onto Ridge Ave. and then a right onto DeWeese Pkwy. The museum is on the right at 2600 DeWeese Parkway.
CONTACT: 937-275-7431

While you're in Dayton, you might check out the National Museum of the US Air Force. If your kid is airplane crazy, this is the place to be. There are buildings and more buildings full of planes (more than 400 "aerospace vehicles"), from really old to futuristic. However, there are also signs everywhere warning visitors to refrain from touching anything, because the oil on your fingers might DESTROY the planes. Keeping your kids' little fingers off the exhibits gets stressful after a while, but there are two or three planes they can actually climb into. And there's lots of room to run around. Admission is free.
WHAT: National Museum of the US Air Force
WHEN: 9-5, 7 days a week
WHERE: Visitors traveling from the south on I-75 (see directions above) should exit at I-675 North (exit 43). Travel to Exit 15 (Col. Glenn Hwy). As you exit, stay in the extreme right-hand lane. At the end of the exit, turn right at the traffic light (Col. Glenn Hwy). Travel to the third traffic light (Harshman Road/Wright Brothers Parkway) and turn right. Exit at Springfield Pike; turn right at the end of the exit ramp. The entrance to the museum is on the right. The museum's address is 1100 Spaatz Street, Wright-Patterson AFB OH 45433.
CONTACT: (937) 255-3286

Gap outlet!

Drive an hour towards the Cincinnati airport, and there are $7 jeans to be had. 25 cent baby socks. Bathing suits, maternity clothes, jackets, shoes, fancy dresses, sweat clothes, hats, boxer shorts... if it's made by the Gap, Old Navy or Banana Republic, the Gap Outlet has it, for a fraction of what you would pay in the mall. Officially the Gap Clearance Center, its one of just a few sites in the country where all the Gap family stores ship their overstocked items or stuff that's been returned or is slightly damaged. This means you may find 10,000 little squirrel t-shirts that say "I'm a nutty little angel" (I actually bought one for SH. It was 25 cents. Need I say more?) and heaps of mismatched bathing suits, but no shoes in your size.
Still, the place is addictive. You could easily spend three hours and $200 here, but you'll emerge with all the clothes you need for a year. (As if you could stay away from the place for a year). I'm embarassed to say that a cashier once had to divide my purchases into two transasctions because I exceeded 70 items, and the cash register couldn't handle more than that. (Mostly it was baby socks -- honestly).
Some caveats: Although the outlet is especially great for kids' stuff, including shoes, coats, hats, and PJs, DON'T BRING THE KIDS. They will be miserable because you're taking too long; you will be miserable because they won't give you all the time you need to hunt through the racks thoroughly. And you DO need to be careful, because you may find a fabulous Banana Republic shirt and bring it home only to discover that you overlooked a rip or a stain. Also, shopping here could make it really hard for you to pay retail at Gap stores ever again.
One last hint: This is a nice place to stop off before you have to pick someone up at the Cincy airport (or after you drop someone off). Just make sure you don't miss the flight because you're sorting through bins of the cutest jammies ever, all for 99cents...
What: GAP Clearance Outlet
Where: 2050 Global Way, Park West International, Hebron
When: 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday
Directions: I-275 west (towards Indianapolis). Merge onto I-275 South via EXIT 5 towards Kentucky. Cross into Indiana and Kentucky and go past the airport exit. Exit at 8A Hebron North. Pass the first light and turn left at Global Way.
Phone: 859-586-3320 (They have daily or weekly specials, i.e. men's Gap shirts for $2, and you can call ahead to ask what's on sale).

The Tea Parlor

Recently we took a Mom's night out to have full English tea at The Tea Parlor in Liberty Township, OH. http://www.theteaparlor.net/. I have to say it was one of the best nights out I've had in a long time! The table and room where just beautiful. The food is all made by the owners, Susan and Jennie, from organic, local sources. For $16 (now $18 in 2008) we could have any tea that they offered (out of around 45 selections), finger sandwiches, really yummy scones, savory, and all kinds of other desserts, fruit, bread and cheese. You can make a reservation to go there for tea on Friday or Saturday from noon-5 pm. They even have a children's tea which includes tea, peanut butter/jelly sandwich and cheese hearts, fruit skewer, relishes with ranch dip, scone and ice cream scoops - $8. After our great evening, I'm thinking of finding a time to bring my 5 year old boy. Why not? Good food and tea doesn't have to just be for girls. They also sell their tea and yummy food online, or at the Oxford Farmers Market.

Directions: Out of Oxford, take I-73 (Trenton Oxford Rd). Follow this road as it turns right, then splits off from 127. Turn right on Wayne Madison Road. This becomes Liberty Fairfield Road. Turn left on Hwy 4. Turn right on Kyles Station Rd. (not long, maybe 1/2 mile). Turn right on Yankee Rd. The house is on your right: 5605 Yankee Rd.

Letterboxing around Oxford!

We read about letterboxing a year ago in Family Fun, and after trying it out we are addicted. We loved finding out that there could be boxes hiding anywhere. Some of them in locations we passed all the time, and just never knew the boxes were there.

Basically, people will hide boxes with a stamp and sign-in "log book," then post clues to the box's location online. Anyone can then follow the clues to find the box, and use your own stamp to "sign-in" to their notepad to show that you found it. You can then stamp your own personal notepad with their box stamp. Many people hide boxes with handmade stamps, which makes collecting their imprint fun and interesting. For more info on Letterboxing you can visit http://www.letterboxing.org/. http://www.atlasquest.com/ is another great site for clues, and it gives better info about whether getting to the box is kid-friendly or not.

If we want to do an outing that involves hiking, we'll look up clues, pick a park, and go looking for boxes. Following the clues gives the kids something to do on the hike, kind of like a treasure hunt. And stamping into the box is fun for them. What kid doesn't like playing with stamps? You can find clues online to boxes EVERYWHERE. While we were in Wyoming visiting family, we had a great time exploring new areas looking for boxes. A really fun one at the Denver University campus just had a picture, and we had to drive around campus looking for that building/view point. That one was a magnetic keybox in a well traveled urban area.

There are several great hunts here in Oxford! Oxford Community Park used to have a good one (not sure if the boxes are still active). We have personally hidden 4 boxes with a "Harry Potter Theme," three in Hueston Woods and one at the Lane Library (that one is my favorite one because it is so sneaky). The Hueston Woods series are all kid friendly because I hid them with my 2 year old in tow. http://www.atlasquest.com/lboxes/showboxinfo.html?gBoxId=55643 and http://www.atlasquest.com/lboxes/showboxinfo.html?gBoxId=55612 are the clues for our boxes.

Remember: Be descreet when looking for or signing into boxes! Non-letterboxing persons may do something to the box (take it, move it, throw it out) if they see you with it.

Checklist of what you need:
a stamp (you can make one, or just grab one that's lying around the house)
ink pad
a notepad
a compass (if the clue calls for it)
a pen