Why is it that I always have things to say...

...on Wordless Wednesdays?

I'm back to working outside the home, full-time. I feel like talking about it. But there aren't too many blogging mamas who work full time (for good reason!) and so I feel a bit alone right now.
And, I'm behind on a lot of things. The week before school starts is like that for teachers, and it's a bit amplified when you're in a new job. The dishes are piling up, the counter is getting cluttered, and I have a couple posts (and a great review and giveaway) that have been waiting. When I get home, all I want to do is put my attention where it is most needed - with my family.

So, the posts will have to wait until the weekend. I have a baby to play with!

Monday Fun! Create an "Art Jar"

If you're looking for a quick project that will pay dividends on the next rainy day, think about creating an "art jar." We took a few minutes today to put together some crafty items, and my son spent over an hour exploring and experimenting with the materials inside.

I assembled a few items that were purchased inexpensively at back-to-school sales and Target's dollar section. I know that Michael's and other craft stores are great places to find inexpensive, small bags of crafty items. Or, you may find some great materials already around your house. Be creative (and your kids will, too!)

Here's what we used:



The total cost of these items was about five dollars. The jar was purchased for 10 cents at a garage sale. The scraps of colored paper were from extra envelopes I cut apart.



I tried to snap a quick picture, but he was already reaching for the jar!



Here's our art jar without an excited hand in front!



And here's his first creation. He went for a piece of paper to add to the kit, and created a caterpillar - entirely without direction. I'm hoping that as he continues to experiment with the materials he'll think about creative ways to use the items inside, and maybe will suggest other things he needs. I plan to change the materials periodically, to keep the contents exciting.

There are lots of things that would be great for a school-ager's art jar. (Preschoolers may need different materials that are safe for their use.) Think about adding some of the following to your jar:

buttons
colorful feathers
craft (popsicle) sticks
pieces of curling ribbon or yarn
stickers (circle labels can be fun)
gems
foam shapes
natural (found) items like leaves, small sticks, acorns, etc. These could even be in their own jar - a Nature Art Jar!

If you plan to create an art jar, just remember to use craft materials that are safe for your child's age and experience. Be sure to stay nearby to provide guidance for safe use of the materials, but allow your children to explore and create without too much direction. Children are often given the chance to create crafts, with an expected outcome in mind, but need time to experiment and express themselves freely with art materials, too.

Are there any items that your children especially love creating with that we can add to our jar?

Wordless Wednesday - Easily entertained

Pictures taken at the Country Inn & Suites, Bloomington at Mall of America, during our recent family road trip adventure.

Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar? (And other things we loved about Country Inn & Suites)

Who me?

Yes, you!

There are a lot of things to love about the Country Inn & Suites, Bloomington at Mall of America. The room was beautifully clean and comfortable. Now that we're traveling with small children, we spend quite a bit more time in the hotel room. It's so nice when it's a relaxing and worry-free spot for the kids to play and rest. I love the roomy nature of the suite. The bedroom area was available for napping children during the day, while we could play games, read, and watch TV in the living space. The fold-out sofa in the room was really well designed, too, in all one piece that didn't require moving cushions (or finding strange things under them.) It had a strap and folded forward easily to become a bed that was perfect for our 5 year old. When we needed a travel crib, one was delivered to our room within 10 minutes of our request, and "Smallest" slept well and happily in it.

The free breakfast included something for everyone (just give me another one of those waffles and I'm a happy gal!) Breakfast was served until 10:30 a.m. even on weekdays, and there were plenty of highchairs available, even when the breakfast area was at its busiest.

The hotel staff was friendly and incredibly helpful. The pools and fitness area were nice (okay, no workouts on this trip, but it looked nice), the on-site TGI Friday's and IHOP restaurants came in handy, and the proximity to the Mall of America was amazing. The only concern that this location may present for some was a little bit of plane noise now and then because of its proximity to the airport. It didn't bother us, though, and being so close to the mall and a short ride from other activities in and around the Twin Cities was well worth it.

And cookies!

The fresh-baked cookies in the lobby were a wonderful treat enjoyed each day of our stay. In fact, it was pretty hard to pass by the jar any time we happened to be in the lobby...and I'll admit to making a few extra trips down there just to check on the cookie status. The chocolate chip cookies were good, but the sugar cookies were my favorite. Cookies in the lobby were a sweet surprise, and a nice indulgence while on vacation.

Another thing we loved about our stay here was the Read It & Return Lending Library that Country Inns & Suites features. As a school literacy specialist, I love innovative programs that put books in the hands of children and families. Each Country Inn & Suites has a library of adult and children's titles that guests are invited to borrow.

If you can't finish the book during your stay, you are encouraged to take it with you and return the next time you are at a Country Inn & Suites. How cool is that? We didn't have to pack bedtime stories, and enjoyed a board book for the girls, and my son and I started reading Stuart Little. Country Inns & Suites also makes a donation to Reading Rainbow for every book returned. We enjoyed a book right in the hotel's lobby.



We were also really impressed by this little find at the front desk. In addition to ice cream treats available for purchase, we found cold bottles of water always available on ice. The cost for the water was a minimum $1 donation to the World Childhood Foundation. How refreshing (pun intended) to see a hotel provide a way for its guests to contribute to a cause it supports, and have the opportunity to enjoy cold water without paying something outrageous like $3 for a bottle. (But...you could if you wanted to, here. It's for a good cause!)



We really appreciated some of the innovative things that Country Inns & Suites is doing to make sure that your stay there is comfortable and fun. We're looking forward to a few more fun adventures in Streams & Shores Country before our return home tomorrow.


We were given a free stay at Country Inn & Suites, for the purpose of reviewing their family-friendly road trip itinerary and hotel features. No other compensation was provided, and the experiences and opinions presented are my own.

We shopped 'till we dropped at the Mall of America

We took in the first of our destinations on the Shores and Streams Itinerary. We went to the Mall of America. Although the Country Inn & Suites offers a shuttle every hour, we loaded up the stroller and walked right over there! It was an easy, 5 minute walk from our hotel.

The Mall of America is amazing - and a bit overwhelming. You can shop, see a movie, eat a meal (or a day's worth), ride a roller coaster (or a bunch of coasters), play with legos, and see sharks all under one roof.

Wait...Did she say "sharks?"

Yup...and they are swimming right over your head.

We also were able to touch starfish and giant crabs....reluctantly.

When we were done at the aquarium, we spent some time experimenting with vehicle design:


Then we walked back to the hotel and enjoyed dinner at the TGI Friday's right inside our hotel. After a quick stop in the lobby for a snack of bedtime cookies, we were ready to wind down and recharge for tomorrow's adventures. It was so nice to be able to do all this within close walking distance of our hotel.

It was a great day!

Enjoying Road Trip Country at the Country Inns & Suites

Well...we're here! The drive was pretty uneventful, with blue skies, very little construction, and lots of naps.

We've actually spent night one already in our home-away-from-home, The Country Inn & Suites at Mall of America. When they say "at" - they mean it! This is the view from the front of the hotel.


See? It's close! We could walk over there, but the hotel also offers a free shuttle every hour, and I've heard it's worth saving your feet. That's one big mall.


We had WAY more luggage than this.

We got settled in last night, and unfortunately, I came down with something. Bad. Very, very bad. So, I ended my evening very early, and everyone else enjoyed the yummy cookies and had dinner and some winding down time in the room. My son and his daddy popped a bag of popcorn with the microwave right in the room, and were nice enough to close the door so I could rest and didn't have to smell it. Staying in a suite is wonderful.

I'm sure we'll eat at least one meal in the TGI Friday's that's right in the hotel, and if the kids are not experiencing a restaurant-behavior friendly evening, they deliver to the room, too!

I did feel well enough this morning to have a waffle for breakfast. They were a big hit with the kids, too.

We're off for some adventure today! We're going to go look at the Streams and Shores itinerary, and we'll figure out what to experience first. Any suggestions?