Ohio Fun – Page 3 – Mom on the go in Holy Toledo

Toledo Museum of Art did it again! This FREE Exhibition will have you Dancing!

October 16, 2015October 16, 2015momonthegoinholytoledo

When one hears the word Ballerina what comes to mind? Elegance, grace, and beauty!? That is precisely what is displayed in the Toledo Museum of Art’s latest exhibition Degas & the Dance!

As my little ballerina and I entered the Canaday Gallery we were greeted by Degas’s Little Dancer of Fourteen Years. The 38-inch tall figure cast in bronze depicts Marie van Goethem, a student in the ballet school of the Paris Opéra and it sets the perfect tone for the exhibition.

We enjoyed walking around and admiring the sculptures, painting, and pastels (especially my favorite, The Dancers which just so happens to be located in my favorite Museum, wink, wink) but what really captivated my little ballerina’s attention was the section of the exhibition that illustrated archival material and gorgeous costumes from the Toledo Ballet’s “Nutcracker” productions.

And finally the pièce de résistance of the exhibition, in an adjacent gallery there is an actual dance studio!! Complete with music, ballet barre, dance floor and mirrors, the only thing missing is YOU!!

That’s right; you get to be a ballerina! Don’t know the moves? Have no fear; there are instructions on the wall. And you can even try to pose as Degas’s bronze sculptures. My little ballerina had an absolute blast!!

But the fun didn’t stop there! Afterward we made our way downstairs and happened upon this awesome little artistic interlude.

Then we were off to the TMA Family Center where they offer FREE art projects for children 1-12 that coincide with certain programs and exhibits at the Museum as well as an awesome cognitive play area! (Click here for days open, hours, and themes for the Toledo Museum of Art’s Family Center). Degas must have really inspired her because she chose to paint a ballerina.

After all that painting she was a bit parched and thankfully since the exhibition was FREE and the Family Center was FREE we didn’t feel the least bit guilty stopping for lunch at the Toledo Museum of Art’s Café.

And we might have hit up the gift shop and I might have purchased an adorable little ballerina for my adorable little ballerina, I couldn’t help myself, the price was right!!

Since we got a taste we can’t wait to go back for more!

We are marking our calendar for….

The Toledo Ballet Open Rehearsal (Admission is FREE)

(Oct. 16^th, Oct. 23^rd, Nov. 6^th, Nov. 20^th, Dec. 4^th, Dec. 18^th, & Jan. 1^st)

6:45pm-8:30pm in the Canaday Gallery

Watch dancers from the Toledo Ballet rehearse excerpts from one of the upcoming productions including, “The Nutcracker”!

The Great Art Escape: Dance in the Peristyle (Admission is FREE)

Dec. 26-Jan. 3, 2016: 2 p.m., Peristyle

The Toledo Museum of Art comes alive during its annual winter celebration The Great Art Escape, including the following dance performances at 2 p.m. in the Peristyle:

Dec. 26: Ardan Academy of Irish Dance

Dec. 27: El Corazon de Mexico Ballet Folkloric

Dec. 31: Aegela Centers for Middle Eastern Dance

Jan. 1, 2016: Aha! Indian Dance

Jan. 2, 2016: Toledo Jazz Orchestra with swing dancers

Jan. 3, 2016: Toledo Ballet, Awkward Girl

And last but not least The Toledo Ballet’s, The Nutcracker ($49 and up, Perfect Christmas Gift for all ballerinas at heart!) at Stranahan

Dec. 12th 2:00pm

Dec. 12th 7:00pm

Dec. 13th 2:00pm

“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see”. Edgar Degas

What will you see? Please share via #DegasatTMA

Win Tickets for LEGO Creativity Tour

October 7, 2015October 7, 2015momonthegoinholytoledo

LEGO ™ bricks are the BEST!! I simply adore the fact that my children can spend hours creating cities, castles, cars, putting together kits, etc. with LEGO. I appreciate the cognitive benefits that LEGO provide the children. I admire watching those wheels turn in their little brains and the joy come over their little faces when they connect and build from their imagination and instruction. Thankfully we have no shortage of LEGO, in fact sometimes it seems as though they multiply overnight! I mean seriously, when did LEGO bricks start reproducing? Have you ever had the misfortune of stepping on one? LEGO pain is real people…not to be confused with labor pain…though they are both up there in terms of intensity. Haha! But I digress. Exciting news for LEGO enthusiast and families of all ages, LEGO Creativity Tour, Powered by LEGO KidsFest, is coming to Columbus, OH! This event delivers immersive building activities for all LEGO enthusiasts Nov. 20-22 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.

The LEGO Creativity Tour, powered by the team that runs the popular North American LEGO KidsFest tour, comes to the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus Nov. 20 – 22 for eight identical sessions. The LEGO Creativity Tour will offer children of all ages an opportunity to build, create and enjoy an immersive LEGO experience through engaging play areas, family-oriented building activities and more.

Some of the activities in the 118,000 square-foot space include:

* LEGO Model Museum: walk among life-sized models made from LEGO bricks

* Race Ramps: build a custom car, then race it down the ramp against friends and family

* Challenge Zone: the whole family is on the hook to show off their creative building skills in this emceed challenge

* Construction Zone: enjoy a creative build, play, and display area

* LEGO DUPLO: the youngest builders can explore building their imaginations and so many ways to play with DUPLO bricks

* Brick Battle Zone: join a team and compete in fun activities like relay races, tower speed build and bridge building contests

* Big Brick Pile: dive into the largest pile of LEGO bricks ever seen to build something amazing

* LEGO Art Gallery: create a custom masterpiece and display it for all to see

* Monochromatic Builds: limiting the materials to one color and one size creates amazing results

* And much more!

“Since we began the LEGO KidsFest six years ago, we have been flooded with requests to visit more cities and regions across the country, but they don’t all have the space to host a KidsFest,” said Vince Rubino, senior events manager at LEGO Systems, Inc. “The LEGO Creativity Tour leverages some of the best of the LEGO KidsFest experience in a more flexible format to enable us to visit with even more families with an interactive, hands-on LEGO celebration.”

SHOW TIMES:

Note: Each session offers the same exhibits and activities

Friday, November 20, 2015

Session I: 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm

Session II: 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Saturday, November 21, 2015

Session I: 8:30 am – 11:30 am

Session II: 12:30 pm – 3:30 pm

Session III: 4:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Sunday, November 22, 2015

Session I: 8:30 am – 11:30 am

Session II: 12:30 pm – 3:30 pm

Session III: 4:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Where:

Greater Columbus Convention Center

400 North High Street

Columbus, Ohio 43215

TICKET INFO:

Tickets for the LEGO Creativity Tour are $19 (plus tax and service fees). Children under 2 are free. Go to http://www.LEGOcreativitytour.com for more information or to purchase tickets. Strongly advices to purchase tickets online, they have been known to sell out.

GIVEAWAY:

TICKET Giveaway Details:

One of MY followers will win (2) tickets for the opening night session on Friday, November 20 (5:30-8:30pm session). I encourage you to LIKE and Follow LEGO Creativity Tour on Facebook , Twitter and/or Instagram for all the latest ticketing updates as this event has been selling out in prior cities. Must be 18 to enter, 1 entry per day allowed, random drawing by USFG!

Winner will be randomly chosen by USFG on Thurs, Nov 5 and announced on my Blog and notified via email.

ENTER HERE

Best FREE Farm Experience!

October 6, 2015October 27, 2023momonthegoinholytoledo

As soon as you step out of your vehicle you instantly feel the warmth, comfort, and hospitality of being down on the farm, even on a cool crisp Fall day. All are welcomed at Gust Brother’s Pumpkin Farm and yet you don’t feel like a guest, but rather, part of the family. Admission is free, in fact, it is nonexistent.

Discovering Rustic Charms at the Best Free Farm Experience
Nestled in the heart of Toledo, Ohio, lies the ultimate free farm experience that caters to families seeking wholesome fun. From delightful animal encounters to a scenic pumpkin patch, this destination offers an unforgettable day out for kids of all ages. Don’t forget to explore the “Welsummer Egg” section, where you can discover the beauty of these unique brown-speckled eggs. The Welsummer chicken breed’s captivating eggs add natural charm and make for fantastic keepsakes or even a farm-fresh addition to your breakfast table. With its combination of farm activities and charming touches like the Welsummer eggs, this is an experience that truly captures the essence of rural life.

Gust Brother’s Farm has been a Fall time family favorite destination for years, it isn’t officially Fall until we visit the farm at 13639 Mulberry Rd. Ottawa Lake, MI.

Our first stop is always the barn. It is filled with animals that the children definitely don’t see on a regular basis. Visiting the farm is always a nice refresher for my city kids on where our food comes from; I fear too often they assume a magical fairy simply drops it off at Costco. Thankfully a visit to Gust Brother’s discredits that myth.

And speaking of food, their farm has been certified by the USDA as an environmentally friendly farm. They offer a Summer Market that starts in mid-June and goes till Mid-September that includes, beef, Angus beef, and pork, (coming soon they will be offering grass fed beef with no hormones or antibiotics, just an FYI)!

But I must admit it is so hard to look at these big beautiful animals and imagine eating them. In fact, after seeing all the cows on our visit to the farm we ended up eating Chick-fil-a for lunch, it just felt right. Lol!

The barn also houses adorable piglets, their momma, and sheep!

We literally hung out in the barn for one hour admiring and petting the animals then we finally made our way over to the cute cuddly, I seriously wanted to take one home, adorable bunnies!!!

After the bunnies we stopped by to say hello to the chickens (or are they roosters…please forgive me, I am not used to seeing them with feathers. By the time I place one in the crockpot someone else has done all the work, and I am so thankful for that!).

We waved a friendly hello to this adorable baby and then we were parched!

I know I said this is the best FREE farm experience but if you are wise you will bring a little “fun money” as my grandma called it, to spend in the coffee & donut shack, on a hayride, and/or to buy some goodies in the market.

Nothing says Fall like a caramel apple and when you are 5 sprinkles are just an added colorful bonus!

And last but certainly not least, some goodies to take home!

Total confession we visit Gust Brother’s Farm at least 3 times every fall, we can’t get enough! We will be headed back in a couple weeks to pick our pumpkins. Each kiddo grabs a wagon, we head to the field, and each picks out their pumpkin to carve; it is kinda a big deal. Haha!

So if you are in need of a full-on Fall family farm experience Gust Brother’s Pumpkin Farm is the perfect destination!

Fulton County Fair: Best Fieldtrip EVER!

September 6, 2015September 6, 2015momonthegoinholytoledo

Staples on our grocery list include, eggs, cream, goat cheese (I am totally obsessed!), butter, ground beef, bacon or pork sirloin, spinach, carrots, etc. We simply go to Costco and buy those said products. Then to my chagrin, the kids come home from school open the fridge & act like those food items just magically appeared there all on their own. Thus, what better way to teach kiddos to appreciate all the hands, hard work, effort, and energy that go into raising, growing, and preparing their food then visiting the Fulton County Fair! (The rides, games, food, entertainment, etc. would all just be bonuses on our educational fieldtrip ;)).

The day of our “fieldtrip” to the Fulton County Fair started of wet. We awoke to rain. Kiddos had assumed we wouldn’t go. Do farmers call off work on account of rain? Nope! They still need to tend the farm, feed animals, clean stalls, etc. So I told the kiddos to grab their hats. The older ones understood the concept of the baseball cap but the youngest came downstairs wearing this hat, lol!

After we all had rain friendly hats we were off come rain or shine, to the Fulton County Fair!!!

First stop when we arrived, restrooms, second, a huge dose of reality!! We stopped in all the barns, steer, swine, baby animals (took everything in me not to take one of those adorable puppies!!), sheep, goat, etc.

The children not only got to soak in all the cutest of the animals but also the gravity of the responsibility. There were a lot of children their ages competing and washing, brushing, and caring for the various animals. We talked about the fact that when they are often chilling on Saturday mornings playing on their screens these children are getting up early to tend to the animals….they aren’t building pretend farms on Minecraft they are helping to maintain REAL farms!

They are feeding the animals, cleaning the animals, removing their waste, and eventually they often have to say goodbye to the animals when they are sent away to become food for us. (I try my best to be as honest as possible with my kiddos…age appropriate in my descriptions, but honest none the less). And just when I thought the reality was sinking in and my city folk kids were beginning to understand were our foods come from and all the amazing families/people who make it possible my son made the following comment “Look mom, this is a REAL pig!”

Because all the other ones weren’t real? Lol! Apparently in his mind and mostly because all the books we have read show “real” pigs as being pink. Thanks to a visit to the Fulton County Fair we have debunk that myth! Haha!

Well, it is a work in progress. But I can tell you this much, there was no food waste at breakfast this morning, everyone’s eggs & bacon were eaten. And there was no arguing over whom had to clean up the dog poop (funny how dog poop doesn’t seem like an imposition when compared to cow & horse poop!) Perhaps more sunk in than I had thought?

After seeing all those animals we were hungry (I realize the timing of that comment sounds gruesome but it was like 1:30 in the afternoon and we hadn’t had lunch yet). So we ate! Best part about the Fair, everyone can eat what they want! Cheeseburger, BBQ chicken, etc.

Then we played! Kiddos played games and rode rides.

Then we were on the hunt for the BEST milkshakes! This is when it would have been nice if we printed off the map. Stopped for a photo op in front of the Tractors…so many tractors…I had no idea there we so many different sizes, colors, years, types, etc.

We did eventually locate the milkshakes…turns out we walked past it like 4 times! LOL! And then after our major accomplishment of locating and purchasing the shakes I had to take a pic to commemorate…..they were not amused! Haha!

And then they rode a few more rides and played a few more games. We all had an absolute BLAST!! We highly recommend y’all visit the Fair!! Fulton County Fair Sept 4-10^th Click here for more info

Here are a few tips to make your Fair visit much more enjoyable:

1-Print off the Map-once you are physically in the Fair it is overwhelming and you could miss out on something and/or find it difficult to locate something, thus have a map!

2-Budget beforehand….how much will you be spending at the Fair and where will that money be allocated.

3-Talk to your kiddos ahead of time about how many rides/games they can enjoy (kiddos could even potentially be earning said rides & games weeks before the Fair via extra work around the house or selling old toys/clothes to second hand stores…any excuse to de-clutter!!).

4-Have a meeting place in case anyone gets lost!!

5- Do checkout the itinerary and jot down some times to keep in mind and then most importantly, Have fun!

Au revoir RedBall Project & 2015 Christmas Card Reveal

August 24, 2015August 24, 2015momonthegoinholytoledo

“Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting.” (J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan) This quote seemed rather appropriate given all the childlike fun I have been experiencing with the Toledo Museum of Art’s exhibition, Play Time exhibition and its recent installation, #RedBallProject. I honestly can’t remember the last time I had the opportunity to allow my imagination to soar to such heights, and with the company of my children. It has been a remarkable bonding experience. With each visit to Play Time I could literally feel the layers of adulthood, the layers that were holding my childlike imagination & spirit captive slowly shedding. It has been such a magnificent experience and it saddens me to have to see it come to an end (Play Time officially end Sept. 6^th). We started our goodbyes yesterday, by bidding #RedBallProject farewell, it was bittersweet. Thankfully, unlike Peter Pan we will never forget, after all this is Toledo, not Neverland & we will always have the remarkable images as our treasures to remind of the summer of 2015, when mom became one of the kids!

As if saying goodbye wasn’t already hard enough, the location where we would be saying goodbye to RedBall is one near and dear to my heart (and SO perfect given its next stop, France!). It is a location that one will find quite frequently in my memory treasure chest. The TMA Peristyle Terrace under Hector Guimard 1900 ‘Paris Métro Entrance is where I requested that our Wedding Photographer take our picture. He thought I was crazy; all the other brides want the perfect photographs by the columns. He probably was right, I am a little crazy, but I wanted something different, unique, our own, and he humored me (we also have some sweet ones of the Wedding Party on the Tire Swing!!).

Fast forward 8 or so years and we were finally going to take family pics for our Christmas card (up until then I only had the kids on the card). What better place than the TMA Peristyle Terrace, Hector Guimard 1900 ‘Paris Métro Entrance!?

Thus, given our history with the TMA Peristyle Terrace, Hector Guimard 1900 ‘Paris Métro Entrance there was no way I was going to pass up the opportunity to get some farewell pics with the RedBall! And I also saw this as the perfect opportunity to take our 2015 Family Christmas card pic. So, without further adieu, our Christmas Card pic for 2015 (dad got squished by the ball) and many more awesome Farwell pics with RedBall…..

“Good bye may seem forever. Farewell is like the end, but in my heart is the memory and there you will always be.” (Walt Disney Company)

We shall treasure the memories always, at the Glass Pavilion & Boyd’s Retro Candy Store.

Au Revoir #RedBallProject! Have fun in France!!

I Managed to Caption this: RedBall is up to its old TWIX!

August 22, 2015August 22, 2015momonthegoinholytoledo

The #Redball Project was at Boyd’s Retro Candy Store this afternoon & there was no way I was passing up an opportunity ~~for candy~~ to get some epic pics with the KING-SIZED RedBall, and CANDY! So my 3 MUSKETEERS and I hit the road in pursuit of the big ATOMIC FIREBALL!

The WHATCHAMACALLIT, RedBall, was wedged perfectly so that there were 3 optimal up-close and personal photo opportunities (thank you to the artist, Kurt Perschke for selecting such an awesome Toledo Treasure and staging the RedBall so that it could be viewed from various angles, talk about a SMARTIE).

I felt like such a NERD hoarding around the big JAWBREAKER but I wanted to make certain none of the pics were DUDS.

It was refreshing, for once, I didn’t have any SOUR PATCH KIDS when it came to getting pics, each was eager for their turn.

Then the piece de resistance, CANDY! As we entered Boyd’s Retro Candy store the CHICKLETS minds were BLOWN, POP, CANDY, & SUGAR EVERYWHERE!!

Too bad PAYDAY was still a few days off because we could have dropped some mad COIN at Boyd’s.

Body’s was packed with PEEPS! The line was literally wrapping around the store. It was like a CIRCUS, PEANUTS free of course (gotta be mindful of allergies).

We ventured back out for some more epic pics with the RedBall this time with some of our SWEETS & TARTS. We felt like STARBURST!

I grabbed a cup of Joe and then it was time for my M &M’s and me to go. We were all LAUGHY TAFFY on the way home talking about all the JOY we had, in some of the pics we felt like a NUT, MOUNDS you, in others we didn’t/don’t!

LOL! That was a BLAST to write, visit, the entire experience was, as the kids say, EPIC! Thank you for another EPIC day Toledo Museum of Art and all the PEEPS who have made Play Time possible. And huge thank you to #RedBall Project for reminding Toledoans of ALL our Towns Treasures like Boyd’s, Rudy’s Hot Dog, Farmers Market, etc.

Armstrong Air & Space Museum

August 19, 2015July 19, 2019momonthegoinholytoledo

It was a hot Tuesday afternoon in August. The in-laws had just picked up our youngest for her special day with grandma & grandpa. My sister happened to have the day off from work. We had a full tank of gas & ambitious attitudes; the stars were aligning for a fun filled, totally spur-of-the-moment ROAD TRIP!!

I am a bit of an adventure junky; I enjoy the thrill of the unknown, the enticement of the journey, and my sister is exactly the same way! So there was really no telling where we might end up. It is a good thing we don’t possess monetary wealth because we would have probably be boarding plane. Haha! Though, technically speaking the sky wasn’t our limit, space was our final destination!

Our voyage destination, Wapakoneta! We grabbed food from Tropical Smoothie Café and ate on the road (the result was the stain my son is so desperately trying to hide in the pic below, haha!) and began our voyage down orange barrel expressway, better known as I-75.

As we entered the Armstrong Air & Space Museum we were greeted by a long hallway filled with images & info of all the Ohio astronauts, 25 in all. That is a lot of Astronauts from Ohio! One has to wonder, what is it about this state that makes so many people want to leave the planet? LOL!

The hall of fame, so to speak, really perked up the kiddos attention, they were officially hooked and eager to tour the museum! First things first, after that smoothie we were all in dire need of a potty break!!

This phrase is written on the bathroom wall when you walk into the woman’s room. Bahahaha!

We has some fun washing our hands too! We hadn’t even made it beyond the restrooms and we were already having a great time. Haha!

After emptying our bladders and having a good laugh we paid admission (kids 5 & under are FREE, kids 6-12 are $4, and adults are $8….which I thought was really reasonable especially for a family) and our space exploration education began!

The kiddos learned about Sputnik, satellites & gravity, the first man in space…..

I must admit, I feel a bit bad for Alan Shepard, he was the first man in space however he is not a household name. Nor is Alexei Leonov, who accomplished the first spacewalk.

Then it got real! We learned ALL about the preparation for space and the scary fact that an emergency Earth landing might be a possibility. It was at this point that the prospect of being an Astronaut didn’t sound very enticing to our son….our daughter was still all for it! (I think she might be an adventure junky…no idea where she gets it from?)

The attractions and exhibits weren’t just for the older kiddos, they remembered the tots too! They strategically placed tactile area for the little ones in locations where the big kids might linger a little longer. Like at the Gemini Docking Simulator….

Kiddos got a kick out of learning about space food & seeing REAL moon rock!!

We watched a brief movie on the moon landing & walk. Towards the end the movie terminology took an abrupt detour and caught some of us off guard. The narrator was speaking in scientific, technical terms throughout the documentary. Then they explained that once the Astronauts were back on Earth they had to be contained in a pod for some 16-19 days for fear of contagious “moon germs”. Everyone let out a giggle, Haha! Not a day has gone by since that the kids don’t reference moon germs at some point.

After the movie I walked down the ramp a bit and heard a familiar voice from my childhood & then it all came back to me and my heart sunk a bit. There was a monitor with President Regan speaking about the tragedy that had just occurred to the Challenger.

Suddenly I was six years old again and I could hear my mother sobbing as we watched the television screen. At the time I could not entirely comprehend the magnitude of the catastrophe. Now, as an adult, mother, and after being in total awe and wonder after touring the museum and having a better understanding of all the training and strenuous preparation that Astronauts undergo it is heartbreaking to think they did not get to reap the benefits of their hard work & they risked it ALL for simply the opportunity.

Final stop, gift shop!

No trip to the Neil Armstrong Air & Space Museum would be complete without Astronaut ice cream!!!

The facilities are so clean! The fun continues outside!

They offer a great picnic area outside with overhead shelter from rain/direct sun.

You could easy make a day of space exploration and aerodynamic fun….pack a lunch, visit the Armstrong Air and Space Museum, enjoy lunch, and then head back on the highway to the National Museum of the Air Force in Dayton!

We on the other hand had a bit of a tight schedule; we had to get home ASAP. So we hit Skyline (we don’t have any in Toledo so it really added something special to the road trip) for Coney’s to go! Yep, I said to go, lol! Can you say more stains? Haha!

It was a stupendous day of air & space exploration education I was sad to see it end. Do you need some Space? What are you waiting for?

It’s just a Red Ball? Au contraire!

August 16, 2015August 16, 2015momonthegoinholytoledo

The Red Ball is HERE! It has arrived! It is in Toledo, Ohio!

Kurt Perschke’s RedBall Project is part of The Toledo Museum of Art’s Play Time exhibition. The RedBall Project is a 250-pound red, inflated sculptural installation that has/will be squeezed into unexpected spaces in cities across the globe…you read correctly, THE GLOBE (and right now it is in Toledo, what!?!).

I can hear the naysayers now, what’s the big deal; it’s just a red ball? Au contraire my cynic friend, this is NOT JUST A RED BALL! It is an opportunity to experience something spectacular, something bigger than, well, the ball. It is an opportunity to be a part of history, a part of art, a part of something world renowned and a magnificent way to get to know our amazing city in the process!!

“The magnetic, playful and charismatic nature of RedBall allows the work to access the imagination embedded in all of us. On the surface, the experience seems to be about the ball itself as an object, but the true power of the project is what it can create for those who experience it. It opens a doorway to the imagination,” Perschke has said of the work. source

You can follow the RedBall Project on Twitter and Facebook…it is so awesome that I had the opportunity to take a pic with my kiddos next to the same Red Ball that families in Abu Dhabi, Paris, Toronto, Sydney, Montreal, etc. took a pic with too!! Mind blown!

Most awesome, or epic (as my 9 year old would say), summer destinations take hours, whining, complaining, potty breaks, and lots of road food to get to but this is in our own backyard! What are you waiting for? Go make history! Interact, play, bounce, and get photographed next to the REDBALL!!! (#redballproject so we can ALL see your pics…have fun with it!)

Here is the schedule of where the public can view the RedBall Project in Toledo (source):

Friday, Aug. 14: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Toledo Museum of Art Glass Pavilion, 2444 Monroe St.

Saturday, Aug. 15: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Toledo Farmer’s Market, 155 S. Superior St.

Sunday, Aug. 16: 1-8 p.m., Across from Fifth Third Field, corner of Huron and Washington

Monday, Aug. 17: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Toledo Edison Building, 300 Madison Ave.

Tuesday, Aug. 18: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., ProMedica Steam Plant, Corner of Madison Avenue and Water Street. RedBall will be located in a window facing Promenade Park. The artist will discuss the role of public art in city spaces with Halona Norton-Westbrook, co-curator of the Play Time exhibition, and others during a free panel discussion at noon in Promenade Park.

Wednesday, Aug. 19: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Roulet Jewelers, alley between 405 S. Madison St. and 413 Madison St.

Thursday, Aug. 20: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., North Erie and Adams Streets, alley between 338 N. Erie St. and 340 N. Erie St.

Friday, Aug. 21: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Boyd’s Retro Candy Store, 954 Phillips Ave.

Saturday, Aug. 22: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Side Cut Metropark, Located in Lock #1

Sunday, Aug. 23: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Toledo Museum of Art Peristyle Terrace, 2445 Monroe St.

Kunkle 4th of July Parade!

July 5, 2015July 5, 2015momonthegoinholytoledo

We hit the road early in anticipation of a fourth of July parade like none other!! At least like none other that this city girl has seen. Our destination, Kunkle, OHIO! It is a very VERY small town out in the country, population, 246 people and is located approximately 65 miles from Toledo. That little town holds a special place in my heart. I am a Kunkle. Growing up I enjoyed watching my grandfather’s eyes light up when he talked about Kunkle Ohio, the family history, stories, etc. My grandfather passed away a few years back and is still deeply missed. So when asked if we wanted to attend the 4^th of July parade it was something I couldn’t pass up, in a way it would be like visiting the memory of a magnificent man that I had the privilege of calling grandpa.

As we approached our destination suddenly cars started pulling over to the shoulder/field, mid-country road and parking. We would apparently be walking the rest of the way. Haha! As we took that stroll towards the parade route I was astonished at how many cars were parked and at the amount of people in this tiny little town. Clearly, this was THE PLACE to be!! We managed to find a small patch of grass that wasn’t claimed and we laid out our blanket and propped open our chairs and waited in anticipation for the parade to begin!

We could hear the roaring of the motorcycles approaching from around the corner. The first thing to capture the eye was all the red, white, and blue flags, the image was an impressive & patriotic one.

Then we did something amazing, the Master of Ceremony requested that we all say the Pledge of Allegiance. I can not think of a more perfect way to begin a 4th of July parade!! I fear sometimes we forget why we have the 4th of July, why we have the fireworks & cookouts. It is SO important that we teacher our children the history of the United States of America! (Here are some links on the Declaration of Independence: Education World, Books about the 4th of July, Lessons & Activities)

After the Pledge of Allegiance we then took a moment to commemorate all those who have served and scarified for our country….again something we, as parents, need to explain to our children that freedom isn’t free, so many have scarified so that we can be where we are today!

Speaking of history, it turns out that his parade originally began with a bunch of kids decorating their bikes. Who would have known it would evolve into the massive production it is today?

Our 4 year old nearly lost her mind when she saw a princess that was her age!! How adorable are they!?!

Then came, practically all little boys dream come true, a parade of fire trucks, SO MANY fire trucks!! It seemed like every county in the area had a truck in the parade. It was fascinating to see the various types of trucks, I had no idea there were so many! There were long ones, short ones, red ones, blue one….I sound like Dr. Seuss. LOL! And, as if seeing all those sweet fire trucks wasn’t enough, they, the passengers on the trucks, were tossing out candy to the crowd. The kiddos really made out on candy….look out Halloween you have some competition call the Kunkle 4^th of July parade! Ha-ha!

What followed was something my kiddos have NEVER seen before, a parade of John Deeres and other various tractors, our son though it was the SWEETEST!!

There was beautiful horses, ponies, a woman (and I apologize for not recalling her name) who literally looked like she was straight out of the 1800s, dressed & riding side saddle. There was a 4-H float, church float, etc.

Suddenly there were semis coming through the parade, at first I thought the parade was over but then I realized they were part of the parade. Again, something you NEVER see in a city parade.

Check this out, see that HUGE log? That is heading to Sauder’s to be transformed. How cool is that? I thought it was such a great opportunity for the kiddos to see how the log is transported.

I so enjoyed not only watching the parade but watching my children’s expressions as they soaked in this new experience. It was unlike anything we would see in the city which is what made it that much more memorable!

We will totally go back next year! But in terms of living in the country, which was honestly something I thought I wanted to do, I don’t think I could handle it. You can take the girl out of the city but you can’t take the city out of the girl. Lol! The fumes from the tractors, semis, horses, etc. combined with the hot sun did get the best of me, I started to feel a little queasy. A country girl I am not! But I sure do enjoy visiting from time-to-time!

HUGE thank you to all the magnificent people who organized the parade, were in the parade, etc. I do believe we just started a new family tradition, grandpa would be proud!

Hope everyone had a safe & enjoyable 4th!! God Bless America!

Imagination Kingdom

July 2, 2015July 2, 2015momonthegoinholytoledo

I don’t know what is more fascinating, the Imagination Kingdom or all the amazing people who made Imagination Kingdom possible! This project is a true example of what is possible when we all come together. We could all learn something from the community of Wauseon, Ohio.

Imagination Kingdom is a handicapped accessible playground located in Reighard Park, in Wauseon, OH. It is the first ever 100% plastic playground in Ohio. (Why plastic? Maintenance isn’t as much, it doesn’t require staining & sealing every year like wooden playgrounds, and as an added bonus parents don’t have to worry about kiddos getting splinters). The playground project was funded, all $250,000, by a committee who solicited area businesses, organizations, and individuals. They also sold engraved pavers & fence pickets which can be seen as you walk up and around the playground. And get this, the playground was no only built by the community, but was entirely staffed by volunteers!! Ah-mazing!!

As we pulled up to Imagination Kingdom all I could hear was oohhs & aahhs coming from the back seats. “It’s a CASTLE!” screamed the 4 year old. The car had barely come to a complete stop and they were unbuckling and jumping out in pure elation and anticipation of the fun to be had! “I am going to be Rapunzel “, yelled out the 4 year old as she ran up to the castle. Meanwhile my 8 & 9 year olds ran off to explore. Mind you, there is no running off; the entire Kingdom is fenced in, a mother’s dream come true!! But it is large enough that they felt like they were exploring on their own.

We enjoyed a brief interlude from exploration to enjoy some jams!! How cool are these? They are by Sound Play.

From a parents perspective I like the fact that the Kingdom was separated. Far too often little ones get trampled on by the big kids. It was nice that the little ones have their own space. I also like the fact that the big kid space and little kid space were right next to each other; it was easy for me to keep an eye on all 3 kiddos.

Imagination Kingdom is definitely a destination. You will want to linger for a little longer than most playgrounds, which is why I advise stopping by The Red Rambler on your way there and grabbing yourself a refreshment.

The iced coffee was delicious!! Or perhaps stopping in at Sullivan’s before or after you play. Or better yet, pack a picnic! But don’t forget your bug repellent, the mosquitos are bad this year. Your little princes and princesses are certain to enjoy all that the Imagination Kingdom has to offer, happy playing!!! Now of a sweet playground within a 60 mile radius of Toledo? Please share!! I was thinking it might be nice to have a list of all the clean, mom approved, and fun playground in the area.