Day 1: We started at the White House first thing in the morning…

Then we headed over to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History:

This is a hit for the adorables – dinosaurs, animals, rocks, Oh MY!

Afterwards we took a tour of the Mall.  Youngest adorable was so excited ALL DAY to say hello President Lincoln (he and Abe have a close Wii relationship)…

…but he zonked out right as we were walking up.  Sorry kid.

Day 2: the Smithsonian Museum of American History – my personal favorite

Filled with pop culture, our presidents (“a glorious burden”), our nation at war, etc, etc, etc.  This museum alone could take days.

I usually limit the gift shop purchases to books, but my younger adorable had me at hello with this Civil War hat.

Luckily, he wore it the rest of the trip.  You can see the Running Man there with perhaps his favorite thing in the whole world: a map.  Oldest adorable with his gift shop winnings: a President Sticker book.

Day 3: we handed the trip-planning over to the 4 and 6-year-olds in our group.

Choice #1 the Udvar-Hazy Center (which is reserved for the really big planes and space shuttles the Smithsonian can’t fit into the Air and Space Museum on the mall.  A MUST-SEE if you have boys and visit the area.(!)

Choice #2: Gettysburg battlefields and museum, located 80 miles to the north (we know this because Running Man biked this with disabled veterans 2 years ago), and kinda on our way home.

Choice #3: the Balitmore Aquarium, also kinda on the way home and outstanding as aquariums go.

They chose #3, which shocked and stunned us – did you hear the description of the Udvar-Hazy??

Everyone else in the world had also decided on the Aquarium, so it was a very busy place!

Anyhoo…

If you have older adorables, don’t miss this Spy Museum, we’re saving it until ours are a wee bit older, but I *can’t wait*!

And Mount Vernon in Alexandria, VA in warmer weather is just incredible.  Love downtown Alexandria’s great shops and restaurants too.  You can actually stay in Alexandria and utilize public transportation into D.C., which will save tons of money.  Several years ago we stayed at a Best Western that was perfectly fine (free breakfast too), but the reason I remember it was the huge *free* snack room where we loaded up for our day.  It was Heidi Heaven!

Westin Hotel Deal

The Running Man found a very reasonable rate for the Westin, downtown D.C., but I needed to call to secure it.  Whilst I’m chatting up the lady, she mentions this special “Year of Your Birth” discount code.  We paid $179 the first night (which is much more than we usually do), but the 2nd and 3rd nights were $71, since The Running Man was born in 1971.  So our total averaged out to $104 per night, downtown Washington D.C.  Except for that lousy $40/day to park our car, I thought this was pretty reasonable.  It’s a national deal, so check it out if you are planning any upcoming trips!

What are your favorites in D.C.?  Have you taken your adorables there?

I don’t know about you, but when the winter days get long, I start dreaming about our summer plans. So come, dream with me a minute…

…sunny beaches, mountain retreats, national parks, big cities…oh, the new adventures that await!

One thing I LOVE to do in January is to request *FREE* travel guides from places I want to visit!

First, I always request the state travel guide from my home state. (Because honestly, that is where we ‘travel’ the most!) Sometimes I also request the travel guides from the states that surround my home state. Last year I requested them for Arizona and Colorado, since I knew we’d be traveling there in the summer.  Travel Guides are FREE and offer beautiful pictures and all the highlights you need for visiting that state.  Sometimes they even include discount coupons.

If you do a simple Google search for “<insert STATE NAME> Tourism”, a link should pop up for the official free tour book provided by the state government tourism department. Many also have a digital copy available, but if you look, there is usually a link to request a paper. Just fill in the form on their website and within a couple of weeks, you should receive your guide in the mail! Note: Many major cities and tourism areas also have travel guides that they will send you for free also!

Of course this day and age you can always google and find lots on your computer, but there is still something fun about having a travel guide/brochure in your hand, sitting fireside, flipping through the pages with your spouse and/or kiddos and dreaming of places you might want to go one day.

So which travel guide are you going to request first?

Whew!  We had one glorious day and I had to tell you all about it!

We started in Naples and drove north out to Captiva Island.

We started with lunch at the Bubble Room on Captiva:

This place was a hoot – great food, throwback decor, and my eldest chose the Red Velvet cake for dessert, which was absolutely heavenly.

Then we set off in search of manatees.  We were told the water temp was just a mite too cold for them, so they’d moved inland.

But…

Younger adorable found a red hat at the marina store that he insisted he must have.  It hasn’t left his head in the days since.

Little adorable also found a new friend.  He carried him around until his older brother wanted a turn.  I declined my turn, thank you very much.

Then we headed to Fort Meyers Beach for a sunset Dolphin Cruise.

And we found some!

And some more.  Love these creatures.

It was just gorgeous to be out on the water on such a beautiful evening.

And today, we head back to the cold of Connecticut.

Team Farmer is vacationing in Florida this week until the middle of next.  Aahhhh, it’s been as relaxing as running between beach and pool and back to the beach and off to restaurants can be.

But the best part is all the family we have congregated here: the 4 Team Farmers, The Running Man’s mom and brother, my mom and her husband, my sister and her husband and their 2 adorables AND her husband’s parents.  That’s 14 people – we should win a prize from the Florida Department of Tourism or something.  Maybe more importantly – some help finding a dinner place (and time!) that suits everyone.  It’s a troop movement, friends.

But the very best part is the time spent with the cousins: swimming, digging and playing.

What are your holiday plans?

And we’ll be back to normal soon!  Enjoy your New Years!!

Some friends invited us up to their home for the weekend.  I always warn people when they issue their invitations to Team Farmer… we come! So we traveled to a little island in Camden harbor, and this was our view upon arriving…

Just a little gorgeousness…

But before we even ventured inside, the littlest adorables snuggled up on the driveway for some last-minute technology.  Kinda wish this was a book, but love them splayed out on the driveway like it’s the comfiest spot they’ve ever encountered.

But eventually we did venture in…

Then down to the garden to collect some fresh Maine bounty.

It’s true if you’ve been told, homegrown everything really is better.  These cucumbers are just perfectly sweet and crunchy.

So we hiked,

threw rocks into the ocean,

took a boat ride for ice cream (which ended up being closed),

and “caught” lobster at the end of the dock for dinner that night.

They were extremely sweet and succulent and delicious.

What an end to the summer…

Now to school!

#50 Christy!

Congrats!

We left Michigan last Saturday for Connecticut, and decided to route through Canada instead of the I-80 that we know by heart.

It was a great excuse to visit the Niagara on the Lake, which has been named the “most beautiful small city in Canada.”

I whole-heartedly agree.

Mostly for the gardens alone!

I completely disappointed the Running Man when I failed to produce the name of this flower.  A little help please???

Pretty-please?

Here’s another look.  They were drop-dead stunning!  Those leaves.

And the gorgeous displays were everywhere.

We made an obligatory stop in several ice cream stores before settling on this one.

At $5 a pop (hello strong Canadian dollar!), they wouldn’t even share.

Not for anything.

Then we took our ice cream to the water.  Running Man totally laughed at me for dressing the boys in USA shirts.

In Canada.

Yep, missed that one.

Hello USA!  Right across the Niagara River, this US fort protects our Northern shore.

Then we drove a half hour south, crossed the bridge to the US side and got out to see the falls.  I highly recommend the Canadian side for the best viewing, but we were anxious to cross the bridge.

But you can get really close (as in Heidi had nightmares the whole night after about little adorables going over, close)

That’s close.  I have a thing about adorables and cliffs.  I think I need to wait a while for the Grand Canyon…

Then we drove 6 more hours the following day and found this to welcome us home:

Isn’t the sweetest thing??  My friend Wendy and her boys came over and decorated.

The adorables were sooo excited to be home, they went inside and got out every single toy they own.  I walked around and looked at our home like it was the first time.

It was GOOD to be home after 8 weeks away.

Now: friends!!!

I’ve packed up all of our clothes and put them into the attic, tried to coordinate all the toys through the house so all the pieces can be found (and therefore played with), found the Running Man a studio sublet so he can continue to work in Manhattan and also booked him 5 flights so he can join us every weekend.

So I’ve been a wee bit busy these last few weeks.

We passed off our home this past Sunday and we’ve been traveling through friends homes all this week, except for 1 night we spent in New York City.

We took the train in (daddy had already commuted hours before).  Matching shirts are my own version of “We go together and Mommy can find us easily”.

Arrival into Grand Central.  And we were already tired.

We met Daddy for a quick lunch and then headed out to find the best cupcake in New York City.

But by then younger adorable was already gone to this world.

He barely fits into this stroller, but I was most grateful to have it.

Then we headed into gorgeous Central Park…

So when I miss the closing time at the Central Park Zoo, the playground will have to suffice…

(super glad for the matching shirts here – doesn’t look like it here, but it was crazy busy).

Then we headed to FAO Schwarz and they thought this was the coolest…

Until they spotted this…

Kid heaven.  Luckily we escaped without a single purchase.

Then we met Daddy for dinner and a hansom carriage ride around Central Park.

And if I wasn’t grateful for the stroller before, we certainly all were now.  That’s about 85 pounds there and it managed just fine.  (Disclaimer: the manufacturers probably wouldn’t recommend this).

Day 2:

The adorables have a good fight while I stand in line for tickets to this:

Ahh beauty!  I was humming every patriotic song I could think of on the boat over.

One funny face -

and one quasi-nice.

Michigan, here we come!

***ANNOUNCEMENT: Get ready for a Jam-packed schedule of Giveaways for the WHOLE month of July.  We know you’re crazy busy, but check in often as we have really great giveaways all month long.  And since there are 5 Fridays – that means 5 Home Tours, so don’t miss it!!

We enjoyed several days in the city before we ventured to Oak Park for the Wright Plus tour I’ve already posted about. What a fun city Chicago is to visit!  The double-decker bus tours by Chicago Trolley are an easy, informative way to get to the most popular tourist destinations in the city.  You can stay on when you please or hop off if you’d like to explore and catch the next bus that comes along.  I think this is worth your time and money if you plan to see it all!

My new travel strategy is to join Groupon for my destination city several months in advance to score deals on activities and/or restaurants ahead of time.  I did just that for our Chicago trip when a friend tipped me off to a 50% deal for the Wendella architectural boat tours.  I was able to get four tickets at half off and we each got a free drink on the boat!  We had a wonderful tour guide and really enjoyed the architectural tour.

Millennium Park is a great stop in warm weather.  The bean pictured above is a unique photo op and Crown Fountain nearby is the perfect place for anyone in your travel group that gets restless without a wide open space for running around in circles.  Bring a swimsuit for your little one if you plan to stop and play!

We learned the value of the Fast Pass at the John Hancock building.  The view and information from the hand-held, electronic tour guide at the top was worth the trip up.

Another little investment that was well worth it was the 3 day cta pass:

We used these passes on the city bus and the train out to Evanston.  At under $15 each, these were well worth it.  It’s nice to hop on and off the bus to avoid a long walk when you’re on your feet all day anyway; they were convenient and easy to use.

We purchased our cta passes at the Visitor Information Center in the Chicago Cultural Center on Randolph St., where we also picked up maps and directions as needed.   If you get a hotel within walking distance of the Cultural Center you will never lack for help or information during your stay!

Also on Randolph St., visit Hot Tix to score half-price tickets at participating Chicago theaters.  Their inventory updates constantly throughout the day so check often if there is a particular show you’re interested in!

If you want a performance that is guaranteed to make you laugh and you do not have little ones along, The Second City should be on your to-do list.  This comedy club was a little out of the way but well worth the cab fare.  I had to stand up during intermission and walk out my side cramps from laughing so much!

We just loved our time in Chicago; we have found it to be a great city to visit with or without children.  Visit www.explorechicago.org for more information or to begin planning a trip to this great city!

Today’s giveaway is both awesome and kind of sneaky at the same time.

Meet the Instant Tent from Coleman:

Doesn’t this look great??!?  Obviously awesome.

Okay, here’s the sneaky part: you surprise the daddio in your life with this and you’ll be a hero.  Then you pack up some snacks and send him out with your adorables to test it out, and you, my friend, have just created a night all to yourself.

Control of the remote.

All the girly chick flicks you can watch.

Perhaps a bath.  Bubbles.

A book and a bath.

This 4 person tent measures 8 feet by 7 feet with a 59″ center height.  You’ll be protected from the weather by Coleman’s Exclusive WeatherTec™ System, which guarantees to keep you dry.

So here’s how you set up the Instant Tent:

Unfold the tent and  spread it out…

Here’s the brilliance: the poles are pre-attached to the tent…

Extend the poles, and click and lock them into place. Easy-breezy.

And voila!  You’re done.

The whole process should take about a minute or less.

And you can win one…

Giveaway

You can win a Coleman 4-person Instant Tent just by leaving a comment by Tuesday, June 21st and I’ll choose the winners using Random.org on Wednesday, the 22nd.

Here’s how to gain extra entries (please leave them as separate entries to get counted!):

1. Do you subscribe by email or RSS to The Good Stuff Guide? I love my subscribers, so you get an extra entry. Wahoo!
2. Email 5 of your friends about The Good Stuff Guide and tell them what a rockin’ website this is.  We’d love to have them join us!
3. Tweet about this Father’s Day Week of Giveaways (Just cut and paste): It’s a whole week of Rockin’ #Giveaways for Father’s Day at The Good Stuff Guide @GoodStuffGuide http://su.pr/2TJPO2
4. Share the news of this giveaway on your Facebook status (Just cut and paste): It’s a whole week of Giveaways for Father’s Day @The Good Stuff Guide http://su.pr/2TJPO2
5. “Like” The Good Stuff Guide on Facebook and receive the latest news. (I LIKE you too!)

(Feel free to do them all – that’s a total of 6 entries friends!  Please leave them as separate entries.)

Good luck!

I’m having the time of my life here….

On our outings, we refer to the Running Man as “pack mule” as we load him down with all the heavy stuff.  He gets the laptop, the camera, the Leapsters, and all the other litany of things that weigh over 16 ounces.

Too bad (mostly for him) we didn’t have this before…

Meet the Ivar Revel G2, friends.

Check out all this support.  A cushioned airflow keeps you fresh and these ergonomic shoulder straps displace the weight.

I can attest to this as I lugged books, magazines and my laptop through 3 airports and never felt the brunt of all that weight.

Okay here’s the meat of the pack: there’s a sleeve that fully protects laptops, while leaving plenty of room for other books, magazines, cameras, toys, and whatever else you decide to throw inside.

There is another front pocket for little things, a headphone port at the top,  and 2 drink holders – the Ivar has room for everything, even diapers and wipes if those items are involved in your life (I’m soooo close to being free of them).

So my question is: are you going to let the Daddio in your life have at this, or will you keep it all for yourself??  (I’ll never tell.)

Giveaway

You can win a Ivar Revel G2 just by leaving a comment by Tuesday, June 21st and I’ll choose the winners using Random.org on Wednesday, the 22nd.

Here’s how to gain extra entries (please leave them as separate entries to get counted!):

1. Do you subscribe by email or RSS to The Good Stuff Guide? I love my subscribers, so you get an extra entry. Wahoo!
2. Email 5 of your friends about The Good Stuff Guide and tell them what a rockin’ website this is.  We’d love to have them join us!
3. Tweet about this Father’s Day Week of Giveaways (Just cut and paste): It’s a whole week of Rockin’ #Giveaways for Father’s Day at The Good Stuff Guide @GoodStuffGuide http://su.pr/2TJPO2
4. Share the news of this giveaway on your Facebook status (Just cut and paste): It’s a whole week of Giveaways for Father’s Day @The Good Stuff Guide http://su.pr/2TJPO2
5. “Like” The Good Stuff Guide on Facebook and receive the latest news. (I LIKE you too!)

(Feel free to do them all – that’s a total of 6 entries friends!  Please leave them as separate entries.)

Good luck!