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Our 2013 Family Trip to Put-in-Bay – Part 1

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 family day trip to put-in-bay

**Spring is here! Check out my families trip to Put-in-Bay from summer of 2013.

Our Family Day Trip to Put-in-Bay – Part One

**Read Put-in-Bay – Part Two**

It’s really hard to imagine that I’ve lived in Northeast Ohio my whole life, yet until recently had never visited the gorgeous Lake Erie Islands.  Crazy, huh?   With the islands not being very far from my home in Lorain County, I jumped at the chance to visit South Bass Island and the village of Put-in-Bay.  Since my hard-working husband was at work, I brought along my mom and three boys.

Put-in-Bay Ohio is a quaint little town dotted with historic homes, mouth-watering restaurants, unique gift shops and local pubs.  It’s also home to the nation’s third tallest monument.  While the island can be a bit more boisterous on the weekends, it’s a perfect family destination during the week.

Before ourday trip to Put-in-Bay, we stopped at the Lake Erie Shores and Islands Visitor’s Center in Sandusky, Ohio (they also have a second location in Port Clinton).  If you are looking for any information regarding the Shores and Islands area, this is the place.

Once we stepped inside, I was amazed by the amount of brochures, maps, and discount coupons readily available.   While you’re there you also want to take some time looking at their interactive displays and video.  As a mom of three little ones, I was impressed that they even had a few things to keep my boys occupied while I looked around including a pint-sized table where they could color and a life-sized boat.

Put-in-Bay
Before we left we asked for directions to the pier and while I was expecting verbal instructions that I was sure to mix up, the helpful employee pulled out a map and highlighted the exact streets to take.  This made our quick trip to the dock even easier.

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Our 2013 Family Day Trip to Put-in-Bay – Part 2

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put-in-bay

**Spring is here! Check out my family’s trip to Put-in-Bay in the summer of 2013.

Our Day Trip to Put-in-Bay – Part Two

If you missed my first post on our Family Day Trip to Put-in-Bay you’ll definitely want to read that first!

Once we stepped foot on Put-in-Bay, I knew we were in for an amazing day!  The weather was perfect, the cloudless sky was the brightest shade of blue, and the kids were bubbling with excitement.  My oldest exclaimed, “Mom, is this a real island?”.

When we got off the Jet Express, we quickly found the shuttle that took us a short drive to the Train Depot.  This was included in our Island Fun Pack, and since it was our first visit to the island, I instantly relaxed knowing that everything was taken care of. We got to the Train Depot, hopped on the train, and were excited to see what our first adventure would bring.

put-in-bay

The Island Fun Pack includes many of the islands highlights and is perfect for those who are considering a day trip to Put-in-Bay!  While the Tour Train is a one-hour narrated tour the island, you have stop off privileges at many popular spots.  With the tram stopping by each scheduled stop every 30 minutes, it’s easy to catch the train when you are ready to go to your next destination. The Island Fun Pack includes vouchers to:

Once we were on our way, I was able to sit back and really take in the island. As we rode through the downtown area we were amazed by the amount of options that this little town can offer. We passed by many quaint shops that were brimming with customers, as well as many restaurants with a variety of food to choose from.  My boys were especially excited to see both a playground and a carousel located in the center of town!

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VeggieTales Live: Happy Birthday Bob and Larry Review Middleburg Heights, Ohio

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veggietales live Happy birthday bob and larry review
***Enter to win a copy of the newest VeggieTales DVD, Merry Larry and the True Light of Christmas!**

We are VeggieTales fans through and through!  Yep, the whole family.  We discovered VeggieTales when my oldest was only a toddler while on a search to find family friendly cartoons.  VeggieTales definitely fits the bill with their lovable characters who share fun faith based messages through silly songs and hilarious stories.

We were recently invited to attend VeggieTales Live: Happy Birthday Bob & Larry – You’re Invited! at our home church, Grace C&MA in Middleburg Heights, and were very excited to attend.  We arrived at the show about 45 minutes early and headed right to the the front section of the balcony.

While we waited for the show to begin, Veggie Tales did a great job keeping us entertained by playing some clips from a variety of Veggie Tales shows and asking questions on a large screen behind the stage. Outside the sanctuary they also had a vendor stand selling Veggie Tales t-shirts, books, DVDs, and toys.  Two of my boys really wanted new VeggieTales shirts and I thought for $5, they were a steal!

veggietales live Happy birthday bob and larry review

Once the show started, we were delighted to see the character’s that we’ve grown to love in countless videos “alive” and on stage.  The show was filled with all of our favorite tunes from various videos.  Here were a few that are our favorites:

  • Water Buffalo
  • Belly Button Song
  • Pizza Angel
  • Happy Tooth Day 
  • God is Bigger Than the Boogeyman
  • Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything
  • Hairbrush Song
  • I Can Be Your Friend
  • I Love My Lips
  • Is it a Monkey or an Ape

veggietales live Happy birthday bob and larry review

As they do in all of their videos, both Bob and Larry and the rest of the VeggieTales gang, had us singing and dancing in no time!  I loved looking over and seeing my kids singing wholesome songs that also teach a message.  The whole show was energetic and action packed and the story line was very easy to follow.   The costumed characters were more than life-size and very entertaining to watch.  I loved how they bounced around on stage (veggies don’t have feet, ya know) just like they do on TV.

After the show we were able to meet Bob and Larry in person during a short meet and greet.  My boys were over the moon to see these characters up close.  I was happy that I brought my camera along because we were asked by one of the helpers if we wanted a family picture.  This was just the perfect ending to a wonderful family night out.

While this specific tour is now over, you’ll want to keep an eye on the VeggieTales Live website to see if the next tour will be in your area.  If it is, I strongly suggest attending.

Do your kids love VeggieTales too?  Here are some downloadable VeggieTales coloring pages just for them!

veggietales live Happy birthday bob and larry review1
Disclosure:  This is not a paid post.  All opinions are my own.  A huge thanks to VeggieTales who provided me tickets to giveaway and for my family to attend to help me facilitate my review.  




Ohio Dance Theatre Presents Cinderella ~ Review + The Nutcracker Dates for Lorain County Performance

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Ohio Dance Theatre Cinderella
Guest post by Caroline McKinney

One might not associate a Sunday afternoon as “magical”. The word magical is usually reserved for moonlight evenings or midnight strolls. However Sunday September 29th was a truly magical experience as I watched the Ohio Dance Theatre’s presentation of Cinderella with my best girlfriend and our two little girls.

Instead of introducing our girls to the ballet for the first time by driving them all the way to downtown Cleveland, we attended the ballet at the Stocker Center at Lorain County Community College, just minutes from our homes.  I love that we had an opportunity to attend such an event right here in Lorain County.  Before we left for the event we created our tutu’s for the girls to wear to make their afternoon extra special.  Of course coupons were involved with the purchase.

Ohio Dance Theatre Cinderella

Once we were in our seats we couldn’t wait for the performance to start.  As most little girls do, I grew up on the story of Cinderella and her Prince Charming.  I can vividly remember dancing to the Cinderella record we had and creating my own “performance” for my parents.  As you can see, I was just as excited for the ballet to begin as the little ones were.

The ballet was beautifully performed and the story magnificently depicted. This was no more evident when the crowd let out a collective gasp when Cinderella was driven onto the stage in a delightfully lit carriage and later when the dancers lept and twirled about at The Ball. After the ballet we were invited to meet the dancers where our girls were in awe and eager to capture the moment by taking pictures with them.

Ohio Dance Theatre Cinderella

In our family we have a term that we often use: “Bread Basket of Life Experiences”. This is often used in reference to collecting less stuff and instead more moments, memories and life experiences that enrich our lives. Sunday September 29th was one of those moments and we would like to thank the Ohio Ballet Theater for the experience, they are definitely going “into our bread basket!”

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Coming this December, Ohio Dance Theatre will be performing, The Nutcracker at the Stocker Arts Center in Elyria, Ohio.   They are thrilled to announce that New York City Ballet Principal Dancer, Daniel Ulbricht, will be a guest artist. Tickets are available for this December 20-22 event by calling Stocker Arts Center at 440-366-4040.

Performances:
December 20 – 7:30 pm
December 21 – 7:30 pm
December 22 – 2:00 pm


Ticket Prices:
$18 – $32
** A limited number of $12 seats are available for Friday and Saturdays performance.

Disclosure:  This is not a paid post.  All opinions are my own.  A huge thanks to Ohio Dance Theatre for providing tickets to review the show.




Rusty Bucket Restaurant and Tavern ~ Review

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rusty bucket resataurant review
A few weeks ago I shared how kids can earn a free meal through Rusty Bucket’s Bucketeer Bookworm Reading Program.   As a mom of three, I love that this program not only gives kids an incentive for reading but it also saves families money!  Recently, my two oldest boys completed and filled out  their own Bucketeer Bookworm  bookmark so we were all excited to head over to the Rusty Bucket Restaurant to check it out.

While there are several locations throughout Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan, the closest Rusty Bucket Restaurant and Tavern in northeast Ohio is in Solon, Ohio.  It was only a 40 minute drive from our home and since it is right off the highway, it was very easy to find.  As soon as we walked in, we felt right at home in this cozy, newly remodeled restaurant.  The decor was gorgeous with dark wood paneling and a beautiful stone fireplace.   They also had several seats choices including booths and tables.  If you’re hosting a party, I noticed that the Solon location boasts a private room which will accommodate up to 24 people.

rusty bucket restaurant and tavern

As we were walking to our table my hubby was excited to see that the restaurant had several TV’s located throughout the restaurant.  Once we sat, he was ecstatic to see the large, and I mean large TV, right near our table.   We were sat at a large booth that easily fit our family of five and was very comfortable.   Since this was our first visit, we  couldn’t wait to check out the menu.  Before ordering, keep in mind that The Rusty Bucket offers daily drink and Blue Plate specials that are available all day.

Rusty BucketRusty Bucket
The Rusty Bucket Restaurant and Tavern offers your traditional American pub food but there is a wide variety on the menu.  Our helpful server, described his Rusty Bucket favorites and gave us a variety of things to choose from.  I loved that he was very knowledgeable about the menu and had tried the food himself.

We ordered an appetizer of chipotle flavored wings to start off.  For lunch, two of my kiddos opted for the pizza while the third ordered the mac and cheese.  On the waiter’s suggestion, my hubby ordered the fish and chips while I on the other hand was a little more difficult.  Since I am on a weight loss journey, I made a few changes to one of their salads but was super happy that our waiter didn’t even bat an eye at my request.

Rusty Bucket Restaurant

The food was fabulous!  So good in fact that my hubby was half way through is fish and chips before I could even get a picture!  My boys said that the pizza was the best they had and after sampling a bite myself, I could see why.  The pizza was not your typical kids pizza but tasted freshly made.  My salad was out of this world with grilled chicken tossed in their Joe’s Regular medium buffalo sauce with black beans, corn, tomatoes, and tortilla strips (don’t worry, I didn’t eat many of those).  Best of all, they even had fat free dressing!

The Rusty Bucket Restaurant’s prices were typical for a sports bar and I thought very fair for what we ordered.  Since two of my kids meals were free, I thought we got a great deal!  We will definitely be back again!

Disclosure:  This was not a paid post.  Opinions are my own.




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  Hi my name is Rachel and am a stay-at-home mom to three boys here in northeast Ohio.  I've been "couponing" for over 5 years and it has completely … [Click To Find Out More...]