Beach Bums

I have lived in Chicago for awhile now and this city still surprises me. When I was in my twenties, North Avenue Beach was the place to be - it felt like Spring Break every weekend. Now that we have a little one in tow, we wanted something more low key. Last weekend we decided to hit Montrose Beach with a few other families that have kids close in age to Isabelle. We had never been to that beach before, even though it’s really close to our house. Shame on us, because it’s awesome!

We got to the beach around 8:45 on Saturday morning. Parking was free and we were able to get a close spot. If you can’t find a free spot, there is a metered lot that isn't expensive. As we walked toward the beach there was a cool breeze coming across the lake. Sand was everywhere – this beach is HUGE! With no worries about low or high tides, we got a prime spot right by the water. Since it's July and it's been really hot, Lake Michigan actually felt refreshing. All of the kids really liked the sand and water, so we ended up staying almost two hours. I think our trip to Montrose Beach was a success and we will definitely be back!

NOTE: Before you go, please make sure to check the beach report for water conditions.

Fun in the sun!

Crazy for Camping or just Crazy?

When Isabelle was 2 ½ months old we spent a long weekend in Door County, Wisconsin (blog post about the trip). We decided to make it an annual family trip, but this year we want to try camping. I LOVE camping! Wait, let me restate that, I love camping as long as it’s not steamy hot outside.

Camping sounds great in theory, but after asking around, it sounds like it we’re crazy to even attempt it. Why?

TENT: We’ll need to buy a larger tent to fit a pack n’ play. Yes, the three-person tent I’ve been using for years isn’t big enough. In fact, a two-room tent would be even better for nap time.

SLEEPING: Yep, I wrote pack n’ play. That seems to be the best solution to keep a toddler contained and comfortable. If anyone has any other ideas, please let me know!

TOYS: Campsites usually involve dirt, so a friend suggested bringing a toy shovel and bucket. She also recommended a plastic container full of toys that can be easily washed.

ANIMALS: At night I used to put the food in the car. We’re not in bear country, so it’s ok. Well, we’ll also have to make sure to put dirty diapers in the car. We definitely don’t want any animals trying to break into the tent.

FOOD and FIRE: We’ll need to bring a big cooler for all of the food and beverages (milk included). We also need a new camp stove (I’m selling my old MSR Dragonfly if anyone wants it!).

Despite all of the challenges, I think we're going to do it, but we’ll also book a hotel…just in case!