Power Rangers And A Good Bye To Movie Tavern

23 seasons. There have been 23 seasons of Power Rangers. Before I became a mother I only ever remember watching the 1993 American series. The first adapted version from the Japanese Super Sentai series. Thank you to my 4 year old and Netflix, I have now seeen a plethora of seasons. One always more cheesy than the one before. 

But the look on the face of a child watching their first fantasy show? It's indescribable. On one hand, I completely get it. It must seem like the most amazing thing a child has ever seen when they haven't been inundated with all the fantasy action movies and CGI developments. It's martial arts, giant monster robots, and some kind of Aesops Fable, moral lesson woven through each episode.  On the other hand, I have no memory of that kind of childlike wonder and fascination. Watching my son watch Power Rangers gives me a little window into that feeling. 

So of course I had to take my son to see the new reboot. It's not his first movie theatre experience but we made it extra special by making sure we went to Movie Tavern in Mill Run one last time before they close April 9th. I've really enjoyed being a customer there and I wanted to give my son the experience for his first and last time. His favorite movie, his favorite costume, one of his favorite friends, and a blueberry lemonade freeze. It's so fun treating your child to a magical evening out.  

Did we enjoy the movie? Absolutely!!! It had everything my son loves and tons of nostalgic moments for me. Lots of nods to the 1993 season, even the very first episode of the show! And do you know Bryan Cranston actually voiced two of Rita's minions? Billy the blue ranger was even named after him! I know I sound like I'm completely geeking out right now, and I swear I was never this big of a fan in the 90s, but once you've seen each season 3-4 times, you start buying into it. 

At any rate, if you were ever a fan of the show, even if you aren't a parent. I think it's totally worth seeing.  

Goldfish Jump Start Clinics

It's spring break time and Goldfish is offering another round of Jump Start Clinics. What are they you ask? 5 straight days of swim class, same time every day.

Is it worth it? Absolutely. Before I began partnering with Goldfish as a blogger, I was just a regular client and my son was doing okay during his lessons but struggling with floating on his back and having enough stamina to swim the width of the pool. When the opportunity for one of the summer clinics came around we decided to give it a go and I was more than impressed by the results. The repetitivity of class every day and the opportunity to show off to a new teacher boosted all of his swim skills and two regular swim classes later, he received the ribbon to move up to the next level!

When you think about it, 5 days of class is over a month of lessons squeezed into one week! So if your child is struggling with even general water anxiety this would be a great way to "jump start" their swim lesson journey. This would also be the perfect way to test out Goldfish and see if this is the right fit for you and your children. 

If my words aren't convincing enough, check out this video montage of what our weekly swim class is like! 

Tree of Life Play + Cafe

If you haven't checked out the newest play cafe in Hilliard, you are missing out! And make no mistake, this isn't your average coffee house with a children area. The food and coffee drinks are actually really good. Really. And the upstairs play area? The Tree House, is so much fun for the kids! For once there is a place to go that is geared toward children and adults! 

Caramel Macchiato please!

Yummy artisinal pizza

Not only did my children have an amazing time at the grand opening, there is actually entertainment for all ages. Obviously my sons favorite spot was in the video game section. Go figure.

I basically had to drag the kids out of the ball pit play area that they were completely obsessed with.

Mini trampoline area!

Indoor swing carousel!

I love the hours too! 

Monday - Thursday 9 a.m - 8 p.m

Friday - Saturday 9 a.m - 10 p.m

Sunday 11 a.m - 8 p.m

It totally fits the schedule of working and stay at home parents alike. 

The owner, Borah, has definitely realized her vision of a space that adults and children in the community can gather together. What a perfect communal place for playdates, mom groups, and business gatherings for parents who work out of their home. Finally you won't have to reschedule around your children and babysitter schedules! And not to mention just a great space to get the kids out of the house when the weather is cold and dreary. 

We had a blast at the grand opening and we will definitely be back again, and again. 

Tree of Life Play + Cafe

3708 Fishinger Blvd.
Hilliard Ohio 43026

Christmas Gifts for Toddlers! (From the comfort of your couch)

Why struggle with parking, cranky consumers, and limited product availability when you can do all your shopping through Amazon from the comfort of your home! This is how I do Christmas and I love the free shipping with my Amazon Prime account.

Do you know that you can help support my blog by making your purchases through any of my Amazon links? Buy one of the items shown, (or literally anything you want from Amazon) and as long as you get to the website through one of my links I get credit for your purchase! Thanks in advance for helping support our family adventures so we can keep bringing you genuine reviews of great things for kids to do around the city.

My top picks this year? These adorable Baby Lit books as stocking stuffers!

The Odyssey: A BabyLit® Monsters Primer

By Jennifer Adams

Buy on Amazon

And for my son? His first game console with old school video games preloaded! No need to worry about excess violence or anything inappropriate here!

Sega Genesis Classic Game Console 2016

At Games

Buy on Amazon

Happy Holidays everyone! 

Amy's Donuts

I'm all hopped up on an incredible sugar high thanks to this lovely donut shop west of Columbus. I'm so happy that a place like this exists on our side of Columbus when you would normally expect to find this type  of establishment in the heart of downtown. Amy's Donuts is located near Broad street, very close to the casino. Coincidence? 

Moots Clothing has a shirt for every occasion, including donut tours ;)

The variety of donuts is staggering. There seem to be over a 100 varieties to choose from and out of the 24 flavors I have tried so far, I have yet to be disappointed. Not only will adults love the donuts, but your kids will flip when they press their faces to the glass and see all their favorite candies and cereals adorned on these fluffy clouds of sugar. At first glance it definitely seems like sugar overload but the donut base is very simple and light to counter all the yummy topping options.  Maybe I am just trying to justify these donuts as a valid breakfast option, but honestly, I love how light and airy these donuts are. It doesn't taste overwhelming or heavy and I honestly don't know how they manage to pull it off. 

Could this place get any better? Oh wait, yes it can. FREE TOURS!!!! Sign up for a tour on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday afternoons for no more than 15 children. It is definitely a tight space so the groups have to be small but this is such a fun activity to coordinate with your mom/playdate group, small birthday party, girl scout troop, kindergarten or preschool class, and the options go on. The kids were beyond excited to see how these magical desserts were made and then at the end they got to decorate two doughnuts! Our outing was so simple but so much fun and I can't recommend enough checking this place out with your kids. You will win the mom (or dad) of the year award hands down. 

First he rolls out the dough....

Then he uses this awesome device to cut out the doughnuts! 

After the oven they head to the fryer where he uses the giant chopsticks to flip them.

Golden brown deliciousness...

Glazing time!

Crowd participation!

Decorating is always the best part!

Couldn't go home without grabbing a dozen to go. 

Ultimate. Satisfaction

Address| 650 Georgesville Rd, Columbus, OH 43228
Hours | Sun-Thu 5am-8pm | Fri & Sat 5am-10pm
Phone | 614.641.7721

 

BalletMet & Dancing With The Nutcracker

We had the most magical experience at the Ballet Met this weekend and it was perfectly timed since ballerinas have been on Charlie's mind non stop for the last couple months. Angelina Ballerina is on a constant Netflix rotation, the tutu is the daily attire, and I am judging pirouettes and pliés aplenty. How lucky to discover the annual Dancing With The Nutcracker event hosted by the BalletMet Columbus. 

This event was completely free with a donation to Faith Mission through the Discovery District Civic Association. First things first, we got our picture taken with the life size Nutcracker! From there we went into one of the studios that was set up with coloring, tattoos, an ornament craft, and a real ballerina costume to see up close! We spent about 30 minutes in here while we waited for the first session to end. Two times of noon and 1 p.m were offered and we chose the 1 p.m. 

"A real  tutu?!" 

Fun with coloring and crafts in the studio!

Once it was our turn to enter the studio where the main event was being held, we scrambled to find a seat on the floor and wait for the excitement to begin. There is essentially no bad seat as the dancers move all over the floor. Ballet students were positioned all throughout the studio to help lead the children in the various dance routines that allowed them to actually participate in the Nutcracker story. The participation by the children is hands down the best part of this whole experience. The event is structured like a Nutcracker story time where the narrator takes the children through the story,  and teaches them the little participation dances before the professionals perform excerpts from the actual ballet. Afterwards we had some photo ops with the dancers and were able to retrieve our discounted Nutcracker tickets for the official performances in December. 

I can't get over how special this experience was and what an incredible sneak peek into a lovely Christmas tradition. Our whole family always has an amazing time with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and their Popcorn Pops / Concert for Kids. I am delighted to have been able to introduce the children to another aspect of the fine arts and be able to experience it up close! With Charlie turning three next month, I can't wait to get her started in the Mini Mover's class that the company offers. Maybe she won't grow up to be a prima ballerina but you can't not furnish the delight a little girl has about ballet while it lasts. Not to mention it is an extraordinary gateway into the world of art, classical music, rhythm, and creativity. Dance adds something special to a child's personality and I am excited to see where this adventure takes us next. 

"The children have been a wonderful gift to me, and I'm thankful to have once again seen our world through their eyes."    - Jackie Kennedy

The National Museum of the United States Air Force

On a day like to today, at the tail end of election week, I'm reminded that it's the every day people that matter most. No matter what political position you take, what race or gender, or where you live. People from all walks of life make huge sacrifices for the sake of their country. And they do this time and time again, no matter what the political climate. We need to value those who have served every day and find ways to serve those who have served us.

I am so happy that we made our way out to Dayton this past weekend to visit the National Museum of the United States Air Force. In retrospect it was aptly timed.  Watch your children's eyes widen as they view more than 360 aircraft and missiles that are on display. We chose to walk all the way back to the new fourth building and work are way up from there. The newest building consists of their Presidential Gallery where you can view and climb aboard most of the presidential aircrafts including the SAM 2000 which carried President Kennedy's body back to Washington after the assassination. 

​For children this is a place of wonder and excitement but I think adults really feel the full weight of the equipment involved in warfare. To see these majestic planes and all their armament up close was enlightening and the respect I already had for our veterans increased exponentially. You can roam through all the galleries for hours and still not have scratched the surface of everything this Museum has to offer. But you can visit time and time again because admission, parking, and wifi are all free! But instead of having to pay admission please consider donating or becoming a member to help support this facility so they can keep expanding and so that they can provide awesome educational opportunities for children. 

And now.... the pictures of course! Our family can't wait for our next visit.  

Thank you to all the veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces! We greatly appreciate your service.  

Safety Comes First At Goldfish Swim School→

When looking into swim lessons for your youngsters, how can you possibly choose the best program? There are lots of options available and they all offer value in many different ways. For me, water safety has become more important than anything since my children have started swim lessons. I'm not sure that I even knew how important that component was before we began. 

The amount of small children who drown every year is staggering but according to The American Academy of Pediatrics, research has shown a reduced risk of drowning in preschoolers who had taken swimming lessons. This is because operations like Goldfish Swim School prioritize water safety above all else. Wrapped into a fun and exciting environment of course! 

It can take quite a few years for a child to become a truly independent swimmer. But in the meantime, learning life saving water skills are invaluable when they are at an age most at risk for drowning. I love seeing my young 2 year old crawling along the side of the pool using her hands, and then pulling herself out of the water. She does this absolutely every week, burning into memory what she would have to do if she fell into a pool. She even did it at the public pools this summer just because she thinks its a fun thing to do and I love that she's continuously building enough strength to pull herself out of a pool on her own. 

The "wall crawl" is just one of the many life saving techniques that my children learn during their swim lessons. The back float being another important technique to save energy when trying to swim a longer distance. Considering how fast a stressed child can tire out, to know how to roll over to their back and relax is a wonderful skill. 

So yes, the in class swim safety is superb. But did you know that Goldfish Swim School also has a wonderful community outreach program? They actually go out into the community and educate children on the importance of swim safety! For FREE! The program offers a 25 minute session to area preschools, elementary schools, scout troops, and parent groups (Hello mom groups out there! How awesome would this be?) For 2016 alone, 4500 children were educated through Goldfish water safety presentations. This is truly life saving knowledge and it's so amazing that it's offered free of charge, whether you are interested in their swim lessons or not. If you are interested in scheduling a presentation, contact diane.cowgill@goldfish.com 

Goldfish always makes learning about water safety so much fun! 

And if you don't want to take my word for it, Lizzie Cowgirl and Lisa Armitage actually got to present at the Goldfish annual conference on the success of their water safety program! Kudos Goldfish, keep on doing what you're doing. 

Happy (and safe) swimming!!