Travel

Six Flags Great America, a Crazy Funnel Dog, and the Peptocopter

November 8, 2014 by Sandra 4 Comments

A few weeks ago, I had the chance to go out on a date with my husband and very attached 2-year-old daughter, Elisabeth.

That’s right.

We’re a party of three on dates at the moment. And while it’s true that Elisabeth is almost 3-years-old, she’s terrified of staying home with anyone except for me or Ruben. So she always comes along whenever Ruben and I get the rare opportunity to go out on a date.

We’ve pretty much always practiced attachment parenting, but we may be taking things to a whole new level these days. 😉

Or maybe, this is just a perk of being the youngest of five. Either way, she enjoys her solo time with mommy and daddy!

Six Flags Great America

I went to Six Flags as a blogger, but only to have a good time and not for anything work related. I’m writing this wrap-up post just to share about our experience. 🙂

And that happened to involve trying a crazy-weird funnel dog and seeing what’s known as the “Peptocopter” in action.

Because Elisabeth was with us, we decided to focus on riding things she’d enjoy (another baby-of-the-family perk!). So we rode the carousel over and over and stuck to going on child-friendly rides. She loved it!

The Frank’N Bacon Funnel Dog

We’ve eaten food at Six Flags in the past and enjoyed the typical amusement park foods offered like chicken tenders, fries, pulled pork sandwiches, and funnel cakes.

But this time was different. WAY different.

This time we tried the Frank’N Bacon Funnel Dog.

And, yes, it looks as crazy as it sounds.

To be completely honest, I knew this particular funnel dog would be one of the most unhealthy foods I’d ever eat in my life. I knew that.

But I still wanted to like it.

Because when you’re indulging in unhealthy food… it usually tastes good! 😉

Um, that was not the case here.

I disliked this funnel dog — a lot.

I think it was the actual hot dog inside that was the unpleasant part of it. It simply didn’t have a good taste to it. Perhaps, if that part of the Frank’N Bacon Funnel Dog had been different, I might have a different opinion.

In case you’re wondering, Ruben felt the same way. An he regretted eating as much of it as he did!

We ended up sharing a funnel cake later that day. And the funnel cake indulgence was much better than the funnel dog. 🙂

The Peptocopter

All this talk of unhealthy food brings me to the Peptocopter: a helicopter that drops off Pepto-Bismol to those who go a little overboard on unhealthy foods and need some quick relief.

And, guys, if you eat an entire Frank’N Bacon Funnel Dog, the Peptocopter might just become your best friend.

If you look closely, you can see the Pepto-Bismol secured to the bottom of the Peptocopter.

Ruben and I watched as the Peptocopter sprang into action and delivered some relief to a waiting Six Flags guest. It was pretty entertaining.

And I think it’s a fun way to tackle overindulgence at an amusement park. 🙂

Our little date turned out great! I even enjoyed the long drive there and back. It gave me and Ruben the chance to have a conversation without constant interruptions.

That was nice. 🙂

Have you been to ever been to Six Flags Great America, tried a Frank’N Bacon Funnel Dog, or had a look at the Peptocopter?

David’s Story: Make-A-Wish Trip Recap

September 25, 2014 by Sandra 9 Comments

Shortly before David was scheduled to go into the hospital for his bone marrow transplant last year, we found out that he was going to be granted a wish through the Make-A-Wish organization.

While we were thankful, at the time, we were incredibly concerned with David’s health and the outcome of his impending transplant. We’d been riding an unpredictable roller coaster every day since his diagnosis in August 2013, and we knew things were going to get much worse for our son before they’d get better.

But knowing that something good (in addition to the AMAZING gift of new bone marrow that a man we don’t yet know would give to David) was coming after all of the heartache and pain, encouraged us to look forward to happier, healthier days.

And as you can tell from the pictures, those days are finally here! 🙂

David’s Wish

As you probably already know, David wished to go to Disney World! We’ve been to Disney in the past, but every time is a new experience. And Make-A-Wish truly went above and beyond to make David’s wish awesome and unforgettable for our entire family.

From the limo ride to and from the airport, to the accommodations at the very special resort for kids with life-threatening illnesses, Give Kids the World Village, there were so many special surprises planned along with David’s wish that we weren’t expecting, but we’re so grateful for!

Give Kids the World Village

The villa we stayed in at Give Kids the World was large enough for eight people, and it had everything we needed. Every meal at the Village was free, and honestly, there were so many fun things to do at Give Kids the World that David and his older brother and buddy, Isaac, would have been content to stay there most days and not visit the parks at all.

But alas, we did leave the Village every day to venture out and pack in a whole lot of fun! 🙂

A favorite ride at Give Kids the World Village was definitely the carousel. The best part is that you don’t have to get off when it’s over. You can simply keep riding it over and over, or until your mother says four times in a row is enough. 🙂

The kids also loved the pool, which happened to be close to our villa.

And Mickey comes to you at Give Kids the World! He visits twice a week (I believe) along with other characters.

It was fun getting family pictures with our favorite mouse and with Scooby Doo. David ended up getting in LOTS of pictures with the minions at Universal Studios, which we were also given free passes to on David’s trip!

You may be able to tell from most of the pictures of David that he’s just a little bit fond of minions. 😉

Side note: David first saw the movie “Despicable Me” during one of his many hospital admissions. The rest is history, and we are now the proud owners of 1,543,798 minion toys.

A Special Star for a Special Boy

One very unique way that Give Kids the World made David’s wish extra special is by giving him a star that he was able to personalize before it was placed in the “sky” at the Castle of Miracles.

David’s star will always be here, and anytime we visit Florida we can come back to visit Give Kids the World and look for David’s star in the sky.

The Ice Cream Palace

We ate a lot of our meals at the Ice Cream Palace in GKTW Village. They offered an express breakfast, which we’d eat before we left for the parks almost every day. We also ordered lunch from the pick-up window at Katie’s Kitchen a couple of times, and enjoyed it in the air conditioning of the Ice Cream Palace versus eating outside or taking lunch back to the villa.

And, of course, one must eat ice cream when visiting the Ice Cream Palace. That happened, too. 🙂

At the Parks

For David’s wish, we received passes to spend three days at Disney World parks and two days at Universal Studios. We also received passes for SeaWorld, but we decided not to use those.

Despite the heat and humidity, we had a BLAST at the parks!

Mickey’s Backyard BBQ

Back in August, as the time for David’s wish trip approached, his Wish Coordinator asked about his favorite Disney character and which character meal they could schedule for us. That was an exciting day!

David ended up deciding on Mickey’s Backyard BBQ, and the reservation was made. That particular day ended up being rainy, but it didn’t matter.

We threw on our ponchos and made our way to the food and fun! During the show portion, David even had the chance to hold Mickey’s hand and make a very special memory that I was able to capture on my camera. 🙂

A Little Extra Disney

We spent a total of ten days in Florida. Seven of those days were at Give Kids the World, and the final three days were spent at Disney’s Pop Century Resort. We’d prearranged with Make-A-Wish to extend our trip by a few days and so enjoyed the extra time at Disney World!

THANK YOU, MAKE-A-WISH!

It’s been a long, tough year for David and our whole family, but we’re thankful for all the people behind Make-A-Wish and Give Kids the World who offered us happy, joy-filled days after so many difficult ones.

With so much love…thank you!

And, David, we love you. 🙂

For more pictures and to follow David’s continuing journey, please visit his Facebook page. To read previous posts or watch videos about David’s journey so far, visit here.

Entertainment for the Whole Family: Raging Waves Waterpark

July 10, 2014 by Sandra 4 Comments

My family and I enjoyed an amazing, fun, free Family Day at Raging Waves Waterpark in exchange for sharing this review. #WelcomeToSummer

We make a big deal about “Family Days” around our home.

They are must-do.

Can’t miss.

We’ve got to schedule a Family Day and make it happen at least once a week.

And if it looks like we aren’t going to be able to enjoy family time on our regular “Family Day” of the week, Sunday, then we plan ahead and schedule it for a different day. It’s that important.

Plus, we love this time together, because we realize that our days together are precious. And they’re not guaranteed. In fact, that truth became far too real for me this past year, and I guess that’s part of the reason why I strive to make family time a high priority — every single week.

Raging Waves Waterpark

Most of the time, we spend family days at home. But recently, we were able to experience an unforgettable time together at Raging Waves Waterpark, which happens to be located in the Chicagoland city of Yorkville, Illinois.

Seven Hours Later…We Barely Scratched the Surface

It was our very first time at Raging Waves, and we can see why it’s Illinois’ Largest Waterpark. Raging Waves is enormous, and it has something for everyone!

The Fun at Raging Waves Includes:

17 Waterslides

The Lazy River

1 Wave Pool

2 Huge Kiddie Areas

Good Food

Sandy Beach Areas

A Family-Friendly Show

So Much More!

We split most of our time between the two kiddie areas and the wave pool. David and Isaac loved the slides in the kiddie area, and everyone had a blast in the wave pool! We hung out at the shallow end of the wave pool. And that turned to be a good idea, because those waves are powerful and have the ability to knock little ones over. 😉

When Fire and Water Make Great Entertainment

Besides everything you can do in the water at Raging Waves, there’s also a new show you can sit down and take in with your family. It’s called “Sinbad and the Search for the Golden Pineapple.” And if you wait to see the last show of the day, you can watch one of the performers be lit on fire before jumping into a giant pool of water.

It’s pretty spectacular.

Cleanliness, Friendliness, and Safety

While we were at the park, we had the opportunity to learn more about the people who work there and how they go all out and do their best to make sure that Raging Waves is a clean, friendly, and safe place to be.

As a mom (and germaphobe because I have to be), this made me incredibly happy to hear.

Our family day at Raging Waves was awesome. I’m thankful for all the memories made and know that my kids will remember all the fun for a long time to come. 🙂

Have you visited a waterpark this Summer?

Family Fun at the Medieval Times Chicago Castle

June 14, 2014 by Sandra 4 Comments

Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament took our weekly family day to another level.

We normally spend family day at home doing things like playing games, watching movies, enjoying special food, and planning for David’s Make-A-Wish Disney trip coming up later this year.

We think planning any Disney trip is exciting when we do it together. 🙂

But earlier this month, we decided to visit the Medieval Times Chicago Castle, which actually does resemble a real castle, for family day. I’d only been to Medieval Times on one other occasion with a group of local bloggers, so it was my second visit and Ruben and the kids’ first visit.

What to Expect

The whole Medieval Times experience is unforgettable. From the moment you walk into the castle, it feels like you’re stepping into another time in history. The walls and ceilings are beautifully decorated, and they definitely set the tone for what’s to come.

When you check in, you’re told which color knight you’ll be cheering for, and you’re then seated in a section matching your knight’s color(s).

We sat in the yellow and red section and cheered for the yellow and red knight. Sadly, he didn’t win in the end. 🙁

But he fought nobly and tried.

Food at Medieval Times

You’ve probably already heard. There are no utensils allowed during your Medieval Times meal which is made up of baby dragon (chicken), a spare rib, garlic bread, tomato bisque soup, roasted potato, and a pastry of the castle.

Well, I’m here to tell you that’s absolutely correct.

There are no forks allowed and you’ll get quite messy during your meal. You’ll without a doubt make use of the napkin, wet wipe, and warm wipe (that’s brought to you later on) as you eat of all the deliciousness that’s set before you.

Unless, of course…

You order the vegetarian meal. In that case, you’ll get a fork and appear quite clean and well-mannered while the others in your party eat with their hands. 🙂

DID YOU KNOW? It’s helpful to understand the definition of “Chivalry” before attending Medieval Times. According to Dictionary.com, Chivalry is the combination of qualities expected of an ideal knight, including courage, courtesy, generosity, honor, justice, dexterity in arms, and a readiness to help the weak. I think I like the idea of chivalry and what it stands for. Don’t you?

A Family-Friendly Place to Visit

Overall, everyone in my family had a fantastic time at Medieval Times. Elisabeth, my 2-year-old daughter, was a little startled at the beginning of the show, but once she realized it was all fun and entertainment, she enjoyed it.

I’d have to say her favorite parts were the roasted chicken (baby dragon) and being able to see horses gracefully run back and forth right in front of us. We happened to get seats in the front row of our section, and I think that made the experience even better.

We’re all looking forward to the next time we can visit this fun and exciting place. Isaac, my 7-year-old son, keeps asking if he can go again for his birthday next year.

I’m hoping we can make that happen. 😉

Have you ever been to Medieval Times? What was your favorite part?

P.S. You can use the coupon code: 3426CASTLE to get discounted rates at the Chicago (Schaumburg) Castle. This particular code is valid through September 30, 2014.