Wacky Wednesday - Trust

Trust? Really?

I don't think this photo portrays trust.

The guy in the back looks like he is goosing

the guy in the front, doesn't he?

And doesn't the guy in the front look

as though he is enjoying it??

A Family's Guide to Thriving in Chicago

I LOVE living in Chicago. My kids LOVE living in Chicago. My husband LOVES living in Chicago.

I know of several people who have had a hard time adjusting to living in Chicago as a family. Following are the things we did to make this city come alive for us.

1. Purchase and read: The Newcomer's Guide to Chicago

- Do not borrow this book from the library or a friend. You will refer to it for month's so it's worth the nominal investment.

- This book outlines neighborhoods, where to go for your City Sticker, car tag, who to call to turn on your utilities, and much, much more vital information in 1 place.

2. Get a Chicago Public Library card

- It opens up a world of options for you.

3. Visit Museums for Free

- With your library card showing you are a city resident, you can borrow a pass for any one of about 10 museums. It will get a family of 4 into the museums for free.

- Each museum has free museum days. Some are weekly, like the Art Institute, or certain times per year, like the Museum of Science and Industry. Going Places magazine often has information on this. Or just call the museum and ask.

- Almost all the museums have discounts for Chicago residents.

4. Chicago DVDs

- Chicago has a rich history and amazing treasures. Each library has a collection of DVDs that will educate you on this amazing city. Borrow them from the library for free and watch them. You will fall in love with this city.

5. Millennium Park to Grant Park

- Walk through Millennium Park. Every inch of it. Head over to the Pritzker Amphitheater, Cloud Gate ("The Bean"), the walkways, art, Art Institute bridge, Grant Park. Walk it all. Do it in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening, when it's dark. This place is a magical gift to Chicago and to the world. When you start feeling like you can't make it in Chicago, go for a walk here. Winter, spring, summer, fall. Magical.

6. Order your Five Buck Movie Card

- This will get you in to 3 Kerasotes movie theaters to view 1st run movies for only $5 per person. You sign up for an e-mail notice each week which tells you what movies you can see and the show times. These are first run movies that have only been out in theaters for 2 weeks.

- Movies can run a lot of money in the big city.

7. Join a Babysitting Co-op

- If you don't have family in town, this is a must.

- Families exchange babysitting with each other at no cost.

8. Join a Hobby/Sports Group

- Are you in to knitting or crochet? Join a local Stitch 'n Bitch. You can find a group at your local yarn store on at Ravelry.com.

- Are you a writer? There are lots of writing groups that meet throughout Chicago. Just Google them or go to your local bookstore and ask or look at the postings board.

- If you are a runner, cyclist, volleyball player, whatever sport, there are people in Chicago who will work out with you. Check you local sports speciality store.

9. Volunteer

- To make a big city small, get out and volunteer for a cause you love/enjoy. It will help others, make you feel better, and you will meet people with like minds.

10. Find a Church

- There are lots of churches in this city. Whatever your faith, you can find a place to worship.

- And when you find your church, get involved!! Take a class, volunteer, get plugged in. The only way to make a large church small is to get to know people. Soon, you will recognize faces and not be alone walking down the hallways.

11. Playgrounds are Gold

- Moms are at the playgrounds and are a wealth of knowledge. Just ASK. Ask who babysits their kids. Ask what school their kids go to. Ask where they take their kids to the doctor or dentists. Ask where they shop for food. Ask where they buy their kids clothes. Ask, ask, ask.

12. Ask Questions

- See #11. Just ask people questions. Don't be shy or ashamed. The only way to figure this stuff out, is to ask questions. Lots of them. All the time.

13. Chicago Moms Meetup

- Moms can meet other moms based on age of children and neighborhood. Google it.

14. Chicago Moms Blog

- Moms with lots of different perspectives share their lives on this blog. Enjoy.

15. Study the School Options

- Schooling your children is a whole different beast in Chicago. If your child does not get in to a great public school by kindergarten, he/she may not get in until middle school. You MUST get your child into a great middle school because 7th grade is critical for getting into a selective enrollment high school.

- If you don't apply to a public school by the first week in December, you are screwed unless you live in a neighborhood that has an amazing public neighborhood school.

- The libraries in some neighborhoods hold information meetings throughout the year to educate parents. Attend the meetings and take notes.

- There are lots of great private schools in Chicago. They range from about $4,000/yr to $24,000+/year.

16. Ride the 'El

- Just get on and ride the El trains. Sit by the doors where they have route maps. Look out the windows. Learn the city.

17. Drive

- Drive the city. Just drive around. Look at the street signs and flags or banners. They will tell you what neighborhood you are in.

- Mostly, just drive around to learn where everything is.

- There is something beautiful and unique on every street. Look around and enjoy

- Drive under the El tracks on Lake Street

18. Michigan Ave

- Walk up and down Michigan Ave from The Drake Hotel to Roosevelt Rd. It's a long walk. Walk up one side of the street and back the other. Look at everything!!

19. Look at Everything

- Buildings, flowers, medians, sidewalk grates, tree grates, the people, the bridges, the El tracks, the River. Look at everything. This is a beautiful city.

20. Parks

- There are lots and lots and lots of green spaces. Take the kids to a neighborhood park for fun.

21. Chicago Park District

- Amazing resource for families. You can get a gym membership for about $15-20/month!! Kids can learn to swim for free. Your kids can be involved in tumbling, gymnastics, soccer, baseball, etc. for next to nothing. Go online and check them out.

22. Be Selective of Your Friends

- Find a group of people who LOVE living in Chicago and are committed to living in the city with their children. People itching to move to the burbs are not going to encourage you as much.

23. Walk

- Walk, walk, walk this city. Walk wherever you can.

24. Eat

- You can sample authentic food from every part of the world. Experience other cultures through their food.

25. Free Activities

- There is so much to do in Chicago for little or no money. Pick up a copy of the Chicago Reader and learn all the great things happening in the city - paid and free.

26. Invest in a Stroller

- Toss out your Graco stroller. Invest in a stroller with large, rugged tires that will traverse cracked pavement and playgrounds with ease. Trust me, we went through 2 regular strollers our first 4 months in the city. Everyone has a Quinny or McLaren. There is a reason for why we pay $300 for an umbrella stroller. I can't stress enough it is not about the money. It is about the wear and tear you will put on a stroller.

27. Condo Requirements

- Elevator, on-site parking, in-unit washer/dryer, central heat/air. These were non-negotiables for us as a family with 2 young children. I saw a beautiful 3-story walkup. But can you imagine carrying a sleeping child, diaper bag, purse, backpack and bags of groceries up 3 flights of stairs? And what about walking up and down stairs with laundry - or loading up the vehicle with laundry and sitting at a laundromat. With kids. Or driving around and around in the winter with snow on the ground and finally finding a parking spot 2 blocks away and your kid has fallen asleep and you have the aforementioned to lug 2 blocks then up the stairs...

28. Deal With It or Move

- Look, no city is perfect. There will be hardships. But Chicago is so incredibly amazing and wonderful, it is worth the hassles you encounter every now and then to make it. Commit to the city and do what you can to experience life to the fullest. If you sit at home whining about how you don't like living here and don't do the things I have suggested, deal with it. Or move.

29. Learn the Neighborhoods

- Read the Newcomer's Guide to Chicago, drive the streets, look at a map of the city. Get to know where each neighborhood is and what the flavor of the neighborhood is. We are a neighborhood city. Where you live says a lot about you. Get plugged into to your neighborhood.

30. Purge

- Get used to smaller spaces. People don't have as much extraneous junk in the city. You will be amazed at how little you really need. Minimize. Simplify.

31. Go Green

- Reduce, reuse, recycle. Like I said, purge your extra stuff. Reuse shopping bags. Recycle. It's better for the environment and you get to use such cute bags!!

32. Create New Family Holiday Traditions

- No family in town? Create your own family holiday memories. If you don't already, learn to make favorite family dishes. Find special ways to celebrate the holidays with your immediate family in Chicago. We love our little family holidays together.

- Invite new friends to join you. We've found, in the city, those who stay here often get together for family holidays. Several times, we have either had people over, or gone to friends' homes. Always a good time!

33. Buy Yearly Museum Passes

- We go to the museums so often with our kids, it made sense to buy passes to a few of them. In our first visit we saved so much money, the pass paid for itself.

34. Chicago on the Cheap

- Sign up for daily Groupon e-mails for great deals in Chicago. You can even get popular attractions at 1/2 price!!

I'm sure there is a whole lot more I can say but that is all I got right now. Chicago is one of the most incredible cities in the world. This is a doable, livable city for families. We did it. You can do it too!!

Tooth Fairy - Motor Mouth's 1st Visit

It FINALLY happened!

Motor Mouth lost his first tooth.

About time, he was starting to look like a shark - his 2 bottom adult teeth came in behind his baby teeth a little over a month ago.

Yes, that is Motor Mouth's baby tooth

We found this little tooth box at an open air art show in Breckinridge, CO when Motor Mouth was about 6 months old. The moon and star matched the Mr. Moon neon piece that used to hang in Motor Mouth's nursery.

Oh, how much will the Tooth Fairy bring...?

$10 cash

& Chicago post card w/Wrigley Field

signed by 'The Tooth Fairy'

Mini Me also received a Chicago post card

This is LAZINESS!!

I found this at the grocery store:

Seriously, People? Come on!!

You can't mix up a few ingredients?

You have to get it pre-packaged?

I suck at cooking and even I can mix

this stuff up without help.

Lazy. Lazy. Lazy.

Wordless Wednesday - Caged Mini Me

New Toy

Photo Booth has been on my MacBook for almost 2 years. It took my 4-yr old daughter to get me to start using it!!

Complex or Fraud?

Am I complex or a fraud?

You be the judge.

Widney Woman is the girl who....

had pink hair

feels more at home in a

Chuck than a Louboutin

who has not 1,

but 2 tattoos

and a nose ring

So why then, when given the choice of 5 different body washes in the guest bathroom shower at my in-laws,

did I choose the boring beige?

At least I didn't choose this!

Complex? Or Fraud?

Mini Me's Secret

I'm fairly confident Mini Me has been sneaking into Grandma and Grandpa's computer room to take photos of herself using Photo Booth.

Knowing Me, Knowing You - April '10

Knowing Me Knowing You was created by The Fairy Blogmother. However, she must be really busy this month doing things other than blogmothering in. So, I'm going to create my own question and answer and see if that helps FBM this month. Here goes...

1. Do your children attend public or private school?

Motor Mouth attends a private faith-based school.

Mini Me attends a public montessori school.

2. Why did you make that choice for your child's education?

Mini Me - She got in!! Chicago Public Schools have a lottery system for acceptance. Her school is statistically tougher to get in to than Harvard. The fact she got in, was my 'sign'.

Motor Mouth didn't win the lottery for the schools I applied to for him (20+ schools). Then I found out about his private school. He got in and we could afford it.

3. Are you happy with your choice? Would you change it if you could?

We love both of our kids' schools, which are very similar in their teaching styles and methods. We 'got lucky' after months of research and time dedicated learning the educational options in Chicago.

Would I change it is tough question. Mini Me is doing great and her school is free. Motor Mouth is doing great but we have to pay for his school. If the kids were on the same vacation and break schedule, it would be a no brainer for them to stay where they are. Right now, it is extremely difficult on us to both be working with no family in town to help with child care.

4. Did your parents send you to a public or private school?

My parents sent me to a Catholic school. Where I grew up, Catholic schools were not private schools. They were basically public schools for Catholics.

5. How do you think your parents' choices for your education have affected your choices for the education of your child(ren)?

I will never send my child to a Catholic school. We are not Catholic. From my personal experience, I found it confusing and frustrating to attend a faith-based school that was not of my faith. I would rather send my kids to a public school. I 'get' why my parents continued to send me there. It is not a bad reflection on my parents' choices for me.

Please be sure to head on over to The Fairy Blogmother. She has some good stuff on her site! And here is the link to her normal Knowing Me Knowing You segment.

Twinkle Twinkle Mommy

Widney Home Entertainment presents...

Widney Woman and Mini Me

in their motion picture musical debut

The audience is listening

The NRA Hates Me

Within 2 hours of arriving in Tulsa, my in-laws' phone rang. It was the NRA. As in the 'National Rifle Association'. EVERYONE was there - J's parents, siblings and their spouses. No one wanted to answer the phone, so I did.

I put on my best thick southern drawl.

The call went something like this:

NRA

"Good evening, Ma'am is Mr Widney at home?"

Me

"He's not available right now but how can I help ya?"

NRA

"I'm calling to invite Mr Widney to become a member of the NRA."

Me

"The National Rifle Association??

Oh my word, that would just scare me to no end!"

NRA

"Ma'am, it's really not that scary at all.

(insert NRA schpeel)"

Me

"Well Sir, I'm a Demo-crat."

NRA

"I'm sorry, Ma'am. Have a nice night." CLICK

Ahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!

I'm not a democrat. I'm Canadian.

Look at what I played with immediately after that phone call!

Finished for Friday - Toy Closets

I wanted to spruce up the kids' toy area. We keep their toys behind closed doors - Motor Mouth's closet. Each kiddo had a wooden stand for their toy bins. However, wood does not do well when your 3 yr old stands on it! It was time to come up with something new.

The bins were in perfect condition so I didn't want to throw them away. I searched the Internet and then, one day, while walking through Staples, I got inspiration: a wire stand like the black ones Motor Mouth has for all his stuff.

I couldn't find black stands in the shorter height, so I went with the stainless steel.

What do you think?

Now, head on over to the home of Finished For Friday at Lit and Laundry's site.

Kindergarten Explained & Open House

Normally, I don't post announcements on my site. But I can hardly wait for this!!

In Kindergarten Explained, an information meeting conducted by Tami Doig, M.Ed, Concordia University professor and Daystar School kindergarten teacher, Tami will provide thought-provoking answers to questions such as:

- What to look for in a kindergarten program

- Full day vs half day

- Why kindergarten is important

- How to prepare your child for school

- Why age 5 by September 1st is significant

- And much more...

If I could be in kindergarten, I would want Tami Doig as my teacher. She makes learning fun and organic. Tami says almost anyone can teach a child to read, write, or to do math but can they help your child to love reading, love writing, and to love math? This is one of Tami's goals for her kindergarten students.

Kindergarten Explained

Sunday, April 25th

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Daystar School

1550 S State St, Chicago

Free parking is available in the Daystar lot behind the school.

PK - 8 Open House

Sunday, April 25th

1:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Daystar School is an affordable, private, faith-based school located in Chicago's South Loop with small class sizes and an emphasis on academic excellence.

www.daystarschool.org for more information on Daystar school.