Happy Halloween from the Hannemaniacs

Happy Halloween! Halloween is one of our favorite holidays here at the Hannemaniac house... And, though a stomach flu almost sidelined B, this year did not disappoint. We've created a few little traditions so far and one of them is sitting the kids down for some Halloween specials.

This year we found a few goodies on Netflix that I hadn't seen before... The kids were excited to mix it up a bit after watching the Great Pumpkin about 20 times earlier in the month.

This year we found a few goodies that were new to us: Curious George: A Halloween Boo Fest, Monsters vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkin From Outer Space, and episodes of Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated.

Netflix, popcorn, and a dip into their Halloween candy stash made for three happy munchkins.

This year we had to skip our usual chili (in case the stomach flu continued to take down victims in our house) and opted for a pizza party with friends.

We do love us some holiday specials... And now it's time to start digging around the Christmas specials. Stay tuned!

Disclosure: I am part of the Netflix Stream Team. All opinions are my own.

8 AM at the Hannemaniacs' House

W has always been musical. He can sing on key, quickly get acquainted with a tune, give it his own twist for a remix. He loves music. It doesn't come from me, mind you. I am not musical, but love that he seems to be so far.

When we moved in the fall we found ourselves with a lot more space and devised a plan to one day get a piano. Little did we know my aunt would be downsizing at the same time and needed a place for my cousin's gorgeous baby grand to live until he is at the point in his life that he's ready to take it back... Perfect timing for all of us. We hired piano movers, found a piano teacher, and W fell in love.

I hate feeling like I'm bragging about my kids... But he's good. It just comes naturally to him. He hears a song on the radio and works on it until he has figured out the tune on the piano. Is it perfect? No. Does it usually just involve his right hand? Yes. Has he only been taking piano lessons for seven months? Yes. Does his teacher get excited when she's here? Yes. And that in itself is exciting.

For now, we've found his thing. Will he be a professional musician? Who knows. Will he even still be playing by the time he gets to high school? Likely, but not for sure. But for now listening to him work a song from inside his brain to a tune on the keys is the best gift. I can't thank my aunt and cousin enough for sharing this gift with us. As someone told me recently... "Whatever he is going to be... He's going to be SOMETHING." And maybe that something might just be a musician.

This post was inspired by 2 A.M. At The Cat’s Pajamas by Marie-Helene Bertino, a novel about hope, love, and music in snow covered streets of Philadelphia. Join From Left to Write on August 28 we discuss 2 A.M. At The Cat’s Pajamas. As a member, I received a copy of the book for review purposes.

Reading Aloud... The Moment I've Been Waiting For

Just. Can't. Stop.

I'm a book lover - clearly - and I've been one as long as I can remember. My mom read aloud to us a lot. She would sit on the ground with her back supported by the bed and my sisters and I would lay in various positions and listen. My favorite position was hanging over the bed, reading over her shoulder... I remember her reading Little Women so clearly. I still love that book. And I learned that books can touch you so deeply to bring you to tears and give you such a true connection to characters. Beth's death. Ugh. My heart still breaks when I think about it and remember my mom crying as she read it aloud to us. It was beautiful.

Being read to, being introduced to the beauty of stories and words are some of my most vivid memories. It was such an important part of the time I spent with my mom and my sisters. To sit and listen and learn and connect. It was a gift and I can't wait to share the same moments with my own kids. It's hard to believe we're getting there.

W has already proven to be a deep lover of books as well. I've been sensing it could be the right time to pull out some classics. Like real, intense books... books that are big on words and low on pictures. I have a long list. We're in the middle of getting through Charlie & The Chocolate Factory and he loves it. He begs for more, but it's hard to find the time to get through a chapter or two. It just makes me so excited for all the books I'll get to read to him in the next few years. Because - man - this boy loves a good story.

What are your first memories of books as a child?

This post was inspired by the classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. To celebrate, Penguin Young Readers Group, in partnership with Dylan’s Candy Bar, the world-famous candy emporium, and First Book, a nonprofit social enterprise that provides books for children from low-income families, is launching a year-long international celebration.

Head over to From Left to Write to learn how you and your child can have a chance to win the Golden Ticket Sweepstakes where the grand prize is a magical trip to New York City plus much more! For every entry submitted, Penguin Young Readers Group will make a donation to First Book. Then, join From Left to Write on July 24 as we discuss Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. As a book club member, I received a copy of the book for review purposes.

Currently Streaming On Netlfix: Orange Is the New Black

The other day we were hanging out with friends who wanted to discuss some of their favorite tv shows, but we could only say we heard they were great but hadn't seen them. They looked at us rather shocked. And then asked about when we decompress and we couldn't really answer. We're not big tv watchers around here. Mostly because we binge watch and can't control ourselves and get a little obsessed. We get through a show and then feel guilty and wait a while... Dexter was our last show, but then between renovating this house and moving we just never had time for tv. We have a really long list of shows to watch, but I didn't want something too heavy. Sometimes life just feels heavy enough. So, we started Orange is the New Black two weeks ago.

We're both busy at work and have house stuff piling up. Bedtime can take an hour. AN HOUR. And then we have to clean up and get some real stuff done. Get stuff ready for the next day, catch up on work, laundry... do all the adult things we do every night.

So, we came to an agreement... After an hour of getting stuff done, we watch an episode... or two. But never three. We just wait for 9:00 to roll around the next night and get to watch it again. We're bingers, what can I say?  It's been nice to decompress.

You Gotta Try This #StonyfieldGreek Smoothie

I usually eat a lot of Greek yogurt. It's been my go-to for the last couple of years and in my busiest days I can easily eat it for two meals. My kids also love yogurt, but I can't convince W to eat Greek yogurt for some reason. The other two love it and my guess W doesn't because I've been pushing it on him so much. And why wouldn't I?

Did you know that Stonyfield makes Greek yogurt in 13 different varieties? And they just perfected the recipe, so they found a way to make it even better, as well as introduce new flavoes like black cherry and cafe latte (the hands down personal favorite in our house so far).

Anyway, in my attempts to get W to eat Greek yogurt I put it in a smoothie and suddenly it was delicious.

I just went through the freezer and fridge and used what was on hand: frozen bananas, frozen blueberries from the summer, and a handful of kale.

I threw it all in the blender with Stonyfield Organic Greek Blueberry yogurt and a little almond milk.

And - BINGO - W unknowingly ate and enjoyed Greek yogurt.

Even better, I've been eating cleaner since our cleanse (more on that tomorrow) and was reminded how much I enjoy smoothies and can continue to get more fruits and vegetables in my diet. I've added some chocolate protein powder to mine... Which I bought six months ago when I vowed to get back in shape. But, then life got in the way.

So, now it's time for me to get back on the wagon - especially since we're going on vacation at the end of May. My plan: a mix of running, core power yoga, and the occasional P90X in the basement... Now just to find the time.

Disclosure: I am a Stonyfield Yo-Getter and received complimentary product.

I Miss Reading

Man, being a parent can be a real time suck. Everything that I used to do with my time is pretty much no longer an option now that I have three human beings under the age of five totally reliant on me. All day is spent tending to their needs, running them around, or working. Then I put them to bed and clean the house/do the laundry/look through mail/fold the laundry/prepare stuff for tomorrow and hope one of them doesn't fight sleep. Every now and then I catch dinner with a friend or have a meeting. If we try to watch any tv or a movie we're automatically up way past when we should and then end up cranky the next day.

Like right now, I know I should be going to bed, but it's the only opportunity I have to cross this one thing off my list... So, I'll be tired in the morning. Like the day. I was totally exhausted because I just so desperately needed to read.

I got into bed at 10 pm, which is my goal bedtime (but early for me) with the intention of working on a book I could not get out of my head. I opened A Well-Tempered Heart and then what I thought was about 30 minutes later... checked the clock to see how many more pages I could read... 11:40. So, I got to a stopping point and went to bed. I don't know the last time I've spent nearly two hours reading.

Of everything I miss from my child-free days it's the ability to close a book knowing I'll get back to it in the morning, knowing I can take a weekend afternoon to devote myself to reading. Now I'm never so sure. But, this book was one I just couldn't say no to.

This post was inspired by the novel A Well-Tempered Heart by Jan-Philipp Sendker.  Feeling lost and burned out, Julia drops her well paying job at a NYC law firm. After hearing a stranger’s voice in her head, she travels to Burma to find the voice’s story and hopefully herself as well. As a member, I received a copy of the book for review purposes.

Thanksgiving Our Way

This year we stayed home for Thanksgiving. Just the five of us in our new house. When I told people that was our plan I received a lot of "awww" sad faces. But, seriously, it felt like the most selfish thing we could do and I loved every minute of it.

Both sets of grandparents were visiting other out-of-town siblings. My in-town sister had plans with her in-laws. We were planning to go to my aunt and uncle's which is always a blast, but I've been extra busy with work and we still have a ton of boxes to unpack. Most important, our kids just need a day to chill with us. And us with them. I knew I would spend the rest of the weekend working, so once we made the decision, it felt right.

But, then I needed to make us a real Thanksgiving dinner, right? So, I bought everything I needed to make my first turkey, stuffing, cranberries, green beans, roasted butternut squash, and masked potato. I made everything from scratch and it was pretty much perfect.

We planned to eat around naps (turkey was done by 12:30), we hung some pictures and unpacked more boxes, and then we had pumpkin pie for dinner. If I could choose one day to relive again and again... It might be this one.

The Nutcracker at The Marriott Theatre for Young Audiences... Go See It!

Our W has a flair for the dramatic. He loves putting on a show, acting out a scene, and can carry a mean tune. The world is his stage... Though his skits seem to be more of the super hero variety, I jumped at the chance to take him to see The Nutcracker last week at The Marriott Theatre for Young Audiences in Lincolnshire.

I told him all about how I used to see The Nutcracker when I was a little girl not sure whether he'd be into it or not. I gave him the heads up that there wouldn't be a lot of talking, mostly music and dancing. He was excited about it. We invited one of his best pals to join us. I wasn't sure how they would do since the two of them can be chatty and hadn't seen each other in a while. But I figured we could hit the road if they were disruptive.

The show started and the boys were mesmerized. And I mean totally MESMERIZED. And behavior was excellent. Why? Because the show was funny and engaging and the costumes were fun and The Mouse King was fabulous.

George Keating as The Mouse King = I Stole The Show

Doesn't sound like The Nutcracker you remember? Cuz it isn't. It's based on The Nutcracker, but a more kid-friendly, hip take on it with enough smart jokes to keep the parents engaged. For me, this is children's theater at its finest.

So, if you have kids and you're looking to introduce them to The Nutcracker this is your perfect opportunity. Ever since W has been hearing little bits of music from The Nutcracker and relating it back to the show. If I could take him back, I would. Maybe I will. He would happily sit through it again.

Your traditional Nutcracker photo for a very non-traditional Nutcracker.

 And - if you haven't been to the Marriott Theatre - there is not a bad seat in the house. It's an excellent introduction to theatre for the little ones. If I can recommend one holiday adventure this year - this is it. Make time before the show closes on December 28th. Tickets are $15 and the show runs at 10 am most Tuesdays through Sundays. Visit www.MarriottTheatre.com for details.

My biggest regret? No pictures. HOW DID I NOT GET A PICTURE OF THE BOYS NEXT TO THE SIGN?!?! Ugh. Shameful parenting. Just make sure you do and share your photos with me!

Full disclosure: I received four complimentary tickets to The Nutcracker. All opinions are my own. And when I say you should go, I mean it.

Our Wedding Dress: On Sharing a Dress With My BFF

One of the most important dresses a woman might wear is her wedding dress. I LOVED my dress. It was maybe the fifth one I tried on and then I refused to take it off. I knew right away that it was perfect for me. It was everything I didn't know that I wanted. But, at the end of the day it was a dress. I took it off, put it away, and then it sat in my mom's closet for months before being cleaned and stored. And there it sat in my basement.

Then when my BFF Brittany was engaged a few years later I started the process of helping her find a dress. We went to a store. She bought a dress. It wasn't special. So, we ordered some others and tried them on at my house. Still nothing special. So, then I offered to let her try on my dress. I pulled it out of its safe protection in storage and she put it on. And it was perfect. "Wear it," I told her. So, she did.

Some people were surprised when we shared the news that she was wearing my dress. Budget wasn't the reason. Ability to find a dress had nothing to do with it. I was shocked when someone told me they thought it was weird. I never even thought twice about it. It's hard to put my finger on, but it just felt right. I think it made both of us incredibly happy to know that it was something we would always share. There was meaning in sharing my dress. My gift to her was her something borrowed. And the gift we continue to give each other every day is one of the most honest, long-lasting, wonderful, understanding, exciting friendships in the world. We're lucky to have each other. It's that simple.

I think it's beautiful - just like the dress.



No one has ever entrusted impoverished Emmalee with anything important but she takes it upon herself to sew her mentor’s resting garment in The Funeral Dress by Susan Gregg Gilmore. Join From Left to Write on October 19 as we discuss The Funeral Dress.  As a member, I received a copy of the book for review purposes.

Lessons From The Dailey Method

I've been going to classes at The Dailey Method for the last few weeks. It's been really great for me. Not only has it given me time for myself, but it's also been a good reminder that pregnant ladies need to get their exercise on.

Here are five things I've learned from working out at The Dailey Method:

1. The Dailey Method (like so many other types of exercise) is a practice... You have to work at it, sometimes you're just a mess and other days you're in the zone. There are hundreds of things that affect you each day, so don't stress if you're not "on." Practicing is a step in the right direction.

2. You look and feel better when you're working out in nice gym clothes. Yes, lululemon and Lucy and Athletica might be a little expensive, but worth getting some good basics. You're going to watch yourself in a mirror, splurge a little and feel good about what you see.

3. Little movements make big differences. Just go to a class and you'll understand.

4. Pregnant women can work out and will feel better if they do. Yeah, sometimes you have to modify an exercise or stop for water more often... But, all in all, even a tough work out - like The Dailey Method - is doable.

5. Mom needs some time. The women who own this location are moms, most of the teachers have been moms. They get it. Remember the failed attempt at keeping the boy's in the kid's room? No one judged me for leaving my kids in there in the first place... Instead, they apologized that I wasn't able to use the hour of time I had carved out for myself. I knew they understood.

I've loved these classes. Loved clearing my head, feeling good afterward, and feeling strong. So, moms, whether it's The Dailey Method or something else, find your outlet.

Full disclosure: I received an unlimited month of classes at The Dailey Method North Shore location. All opinions are my own.

Happy Father's Day!

Last night Matt and I were talking about how people are born wired to do a certain thing. I guess you can call it a gift... Matt was born with a number of gifts, but the first one that came to my mind was: "You were born to be an amazing dad."

There were many reasons I fell in love with Matt, but it's evolved over the years and now I can't think of a better reason to love him than because of the father he is to our boys. I can't imagine being married to a better father or someone more committed to creating a family and the best life possible for our little boys. Our kids are two of the luckiest kids you'd ever meet and they adore their daddy. So do I.

Really good dads don't get nearly enough credit. With Matt there is no rolling of the eyes over who will change a diaper, there is no complaining that he'd ever choose drinks out over bath time, and I never second guess whether he can handle any situation with our kids. He's super dad. And I'm lucky. We all are. I don't admit it much and I get uncomfortable being all mushy, but if there's ever a time for me to step out of my comfort zone, it's today.

Thanks, Matt, for being the best dad we could ask for and for always trying to find a way to do it better.

Happy Mother's Day Times... THREE

Today was my fourth Mother's Day and it was gorgeous. We didn't get to do a ton of fun stuff because recovery from my appendectomy has been more difficult lately and I was really sore today. I've probably been pushing myself too much, but it's hard not to when you have two kids and a full-time job.

Anyway... I had a great time with Matt and the boys. And what made today even more amazing... Not only am I a mom of two awesome boys, but come late October I'll be a mom to THREE. Yes, I am 16 weeks pregnant. Things are about to get a lot more crazy around here!

So, while he's still our baby, here's a photo of B looking all sweet for you to gush over...

Good Deeds 2012 Week 13: Just Label It Campaign

Good Deed: Signed a petition asking the FDA to label genetically engineered (GE) foods. 

I could go on and on about the many ways that this country's relationship with food scares me, which is why I focus on organic ingredients and making what I can from scratch. Healthy feeding has become a huge priority for me and as my kids get older, I become more committed to creating good habits in my children and providing them with a healthy foundation for life. It's also another reason I'm so happy to be a Stonyfield Yo-Getter. It's a brand that I use and trust and my family totally loves. Not to mention their philosophy and business practices make me excited!

They partnered on the Just Label It Campaign to move the FDA to create more educated consumers and a transparent food industry. Today one million people have signed the petition - more than any petition that has been filed with the FDA! But, one million signatures is just the beginning of a food revolution.

How about taking a moment to sign this petition yourself? What were your good deeds this week?

Disclaimer: I am a Stonyfield Yo-Getter, which is an ambassador program for which I do not receive compensation. They did provide product coupons and items, however I lost the coupons. Go figure! All opinions are my own.

I Make My Own Salad Dressing... And You Can, Too

We're trying to cut out as much processed food as we can. We won't be able to cut out all processed foods, but each thing makes a difference. It's wonderful to know exactly what goes into your food. I stopped buying salad dressing a couple years ago, because I really prefer the taste of my own. And now that I've consistently made my own dressing, I just can't go back.

Here's how I do it:

The base: one part olive oil, 3 parts vinegar (we really like vinegar heavy dressings and I use different types of vinegar, depending on what else we're eating), salt, pepper, onion powder

Additions I might add (depending on what I'm pairing it with): Dijon mustard, herbs (dry or fresh), honey, garlic powder, horse radish, agave nectar, citrus, parmesan cheese

Throw it all together in a container, seal, and shake the heck out of it. Then toss with salad.

You won't go back to prepared salad dressings and it's very, very easy.

My February Farmer's Market Finds

Seems like I've been talking a lot about food lately, right? Well, it's not just here... I've also blogged about it over at TheChicagoMoms.com. Check out my latest post about finding a Farmer's Market in Chicago in February and how excited it made me.


I hope you'll read it... You may also notice my very outdated bio, which doesn't even include mention of sweet little B. Time to edit my bio there and on all the other sites to which I contribute. But, honestly, I might as well wait until I have another kid by the time I get around to it. And, NO, that was not a hint.

Okay, enough rambling, check out my new TheChicagoMoms.com post!

My Dream Starts With Composting

For the From Left to Write Book Club we read Animal Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, which inspired this post.

When it comes to eating healthy, we make considerable attempts... I cook our meals from whole foods (the vast majority of which are organic). If I could make almost all of our food from scratch, I would happily. I'd love to bake our bread and pasta, can jams and tomato sauce and make our own salsas and pesto. But, right now, it just doesn't seem possible. We live in a small house with a tiny kitchen and I have about three square feet of usable counter top space. We also have an odd shaped yard with old, beautiful trees that don't allow for much direct sun.

I dream of a large kitchen with space to grow herbs in the windows all year and a large island I can use for rolling out scones ad chopping vegetables for soup. I imagine I would have room to use my Kitchenaid mixer (the wedding gift that's been sitting in the box for over six years) and maybe even have a faucet over the stove top. If I'm really laying it all out there, I'd like a cozy booth in the corner for the kids to hang out while I make dinner. Outside we'd have a sunny, large space where I could have a large vegetable garden and a couple of fruit trees and bushes. I'm not opposed to keeping a few chickens for fresh eggs. I'm not asking for much, right?

When we first bought our house more than three years ago (seriously, where does the time go?) I declared that we would start composting and I would have a vegetable garden. Our composting started during our first summer and we were diligent and determined to compost everything possible. We purchased a composter, tucked it next to the house, and started filling it every day. By the end of the summer Matt and my dad had built out my vegetable garden in the only usable space on our property.

Look at all those scraps ready to compost... Better in here, than in a garbage bag.

The following summer was crazy (remember I had shingles?) and we traveled a lot, so we settled for a few tomato plants that did alright, not spectacular. I figured it was because we planted them late and weren't always on top of watering with our busy travel schedule. We weren't great at plants, but we learned a lot about composting and started to enjoy it.

W getting excited about opening his pet worms to eat all that food.

By our third summer I was determined to grow my own vegetables. We checked the composter after its winter break, added some early spring additions, three containers of worms, and waited. A couple of weeks later we had the compost we were hoping for - It was awesome.

Look at that awesome compost! Took a year, but worth it.

We were ready to plant the garden and a week before Baby B was due, I bought seed packs and filled our garden with strawberries, green beans, shallots, zucchini, carrots, cucumber and three types of tomatoes. I had no plan. I over packed the hell out of my little garden (did I mention it's 6 feet by 3 feet?). But, I was nesting and starting to fear that it was now or never... So, I planted as quickly as I could. Matt wrapped wire around the garden to protect it from squirrels and we waited. And waited...

Strawberries are W's favorite food... This is the only one we grew.

Needless to say our garden did not thrive. All in all, I think we got 20 green beans, 1 cucumber, 10 tomatoes, 1 strawberry, and 1 half inch carrot out of the garden. Pitiful. I realized that my little garden spot only got partial sun and vegetables need SUN to grow. And the way I stuffed the garden full of seeds didn't help, I'm sure. We again had really good compost. But, no matter how great your compost, a garden needs sun.

One day I'll have my dream kitchen and garden. Until then I'll continue to compost and grow what little produce I can, because there is something real satisfying about making your own compost. Give it a try.

Could you live an entire year eating locally or the food from your garden? Barbara Kingsolver transplanted her family from the deserts of Arizona to the mountains of Virginia for their endeavor. Join From Left to Write on February 21 as we discuss Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. As a member of From Left to Write, I received a copy of the book. All opinions are my own.

Wordless Wednesday: Just Another Day in the Hannemaniac House

Meal Planning: Week 5 Thanks to Artizone

Boxes full of goodness...

I ordered groceries for the first time ever and I think I'm in love. Chicago has a great new grocery delivery service called Artizone. They deliver fresh food from specialty, independent, locally owned shops to your door. I was super excited to get my first delivery on Friday night (right on time and a nice delivery man!), which had lots of good stuff for our meals this week:

Monday: Roasted vegetables and amish chicken
Tuesday: Pasta with shrimp, shallots, and lemon
Wednesday: Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin and butternut squash risotto
Thursday: Wild mushroom pappardelle and a salad
Friday: Dinner out for my birthday!

We also ordered some salmon, which I made on Saturday and was possibly the best salmon we've ever had. Also, we have come Cowda cheese in the fridge just waiting for us...

Have you ever had your groceries delivered? It's pretty amazing and I'd recommend trying it. Artizone is offering free delivery until February 15th, so you might want to give it a whirl. I still had to go grocery shopping today to fill in the pantry and some staples, but I'm a firm believer that fresh, finer ingredients are worth the extra money and I continue to be disappointed in what I find at any chain grocery stores in my area. Ordering through Artizone saved me some mileage and time this weekend and made my meal plan a ton easier.

Disclosure: I attended the Artizone kick-off party recently where I received a $30 coupon with no obligation. Opinions are my own, as always.

Handmade Thank You Cards by W

Like most kids W loves to color and in the last few months he's really started to actually draw, which is so fun. I like having him create thank you cards, because they're cute and who doesn't love a cute kid drawing for their fridge?!?!

These are W's Christmas thank you cards. I wrote "Thank You" on note cards and then left it up to him, asking what he drew each time... Let's just say I would love to spend a few minutes in this kid's head:

"Dr. Octopus"

"Ironman Fighting A Bad Guy"

"Octopus" (as opposed to his friend Dr. Octopus)

"Oogly Monster"

"Portrait of B"

"Portrait of W"

"Supermans's Car"

"Whale"

"T-Rex Eating a Lemon"

I really love "T-Rex Eating a Lemon" and his self portrait.

Which one is your favorite?

I'm a Kidgrade Ambassador!

When you have kids your eating-out habits are going to change. It's inevitable. For us, it means we  don't eat out as often. And, when we do, we find ourselves at different restaurants than we used to go to and are looking for the best possible place for us to have a good meal and feel comfortable with our kids.

Some restaurants just aren't kid-friendly, which is OK. Maybe they're missing a changing table or only have one high chair. Or maybe they're just complete jerks about the fact that you have kids. Or the food takes fooooorrrreeeevvveeeerrrr and the kids menu is gross and overpriced. All of those things can ruin an experience with kids. We learned early on that when dining out with kids you're looking for good food, an environment accepting of your kids, timely food service, friendly servers, and clean changing tables and high chairs.

To make that easier we have Kidgrade, a site created to help families navigate the places that are worth your time and those that just aren't. It helps take trial and error out of the rare opportunities to go out for dinner.

We've learned a lot of by our own trial and error. I've changed diapers in very creative places and enjoyed my meal with a kid on my lap. We've been the only family in a too-quiet restaurant or waited beyond tantrum time for our food. And every time it sucked.

Matt once commented that it would be awesome if there was a website that rated places for families to help make going out easier. What if parents could find the best fit for them before going out to dinner instead of finding out the hard way? So, imagine how happy I was to find the site already existed and - even better - I get to partner with it!

Check out Kidgrade! Be sure to submit your favorite spots or check the rating before the next time you head out!