Category: Raves and Reviews

Review of Luv 2 Play, Sutton, MA

Posted in Parenting, Raves and Reviews, Single motherhoodLeave a comment

Last weekend, little man and I had the opportunity to check out a new indoor play place, Luv 2 Play, in Sutton, MA.

I’m a huge proponent of free play, especially outdoor play that is both imaginative and, well, free of cost. Unfortunately, I can’t stand being cold and wet. This winter in Central Massachusetts, more days than not have been just that. With February school break around the corner, I knew I’d need a back-up play plan for when the weather, and therefore my mood, was foul. So I was as excited as my son to discover a new indoor play area opening close by. Aside from indoor trampoline places, Luv 2 Play is one of the only indoor play places close to us.

Luv 2 Play is a franchise with multiple locations, but the Sutton one is the only one in Central Mass. We visited during their soft opening, just prior to their grand opening which was Monday, February 10th. They were definitely using the soft opening to work out the minor issues with the registers (learning how to input coupons) and in the snack area (not all options were available yet), but the staff was amazing and patient as they learned and welcomed the first visitors. Be prepared though, you will need to purchase grip socks the first time, and dress cool as it was very warm the day we went, especially once we started running around.

The multi-level main play structure is the perfect place to wear out small bodies before nap or bed, and to exhaust out of shape parents and guardians as they attempt not to smack their head in the maze of slides, crawling tubes, and obstacles. Think American Ninja Warrior: Preschool Edition.

In addition to the main play area, there is a pretty large number of pay-to-play video games. Frankly, I wish this wasn’t a feature since I take little man to these places to avoid screens on bad weather days. However, I understand it could be a draw, especially if parents have kids of multi-ages and need a treat to bribe the older kids to accompany younger siblings. That said, the play areas have a lot of fun to offer the older elementary kids without the added cost of these games.

Another hit with my guy was the ball pit in the toddler section, which he still qualifies for as it is for ages four and under. The block area with large foam Lego-like blocks was another place in which we spent a long time playing. And, despite being over the age, I had to pull my guy from the very tempting baby area, too, with its soft foam climbing blocks and push toys.

Additionally, there is a snack bar with drinks and hot and cold snacks, party rooms for birthdays or private groups, and plenty of seating for parents or tired kiddos to take breaks. The snacks and drinks were pricey, and you aren’t supposed to bring outside food in, which was probably my biggest complaint since it adds considerably to the cost if you are spending a few hours and can’t bring your own snacks. I understand the allergy issue but feel a peanut or all nut ban would suffice.

Other than costs, which are almost always an issue at kid play places, Luv 2 Play is definitely a place I’d recommend to other parents. The staff was available throughout the areas to help kids and parents, they were all friendly, and, my personal favorite, they were almost constantly cleaning. The play equipment was clean, creative, varied, and safe. And most importantly we had a fun, screen-free, active time as a family even on a cold rainy evening.

 

Green Goal 2020: Reducing Single-Use Plastic at Home

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In a house with a preschooler, there is plastic in abundance. From action figures and tubby toys to the dreaded foot-impaling Legos, my house is teeming with plastic. Some of it, like the drop-able drinkware, can’t be easily avoided until little man is less of a natural disaster. But other products, I recently discovered, can be more easily replaced.

Last July two friends of mine posted regularly about how their family was drastically cutting their plastic usage as part of plastic-free July. It made me think about the number of plastic products I purchased and what swaps I could make at our house. As a single working mom, I don’t have time to make all my products from scratch, and I don’t have the money to spend triple what I was already spending on products I use daily. Luckily, with a little crowdsourcing, I discovered there are some great products easily available that didn’t break the bank or require extra prep time.

The first place I looked was the wall of plastic bottles staring at me each morning in the shower. Like most women, I had various shampoos, conditioners, face, and body washes all in plastic bottles. It took a while to use through all the products I had stockpiled in my closet, but one by one as I ran out of something I looked to replace it with plastic-free options.

Admittedly, the scariest was switching out my shampoo and conditioner. I’ve never loved my thin, limp, often oily hair, but after plenty of experimenting, I had found some liquid products that kept it reasonably manageable. Well, no surprise, finding a bar shampoo that worked also took some trial and error. First I read most don’t lather well with hard water which my town has, so I added a water filter to my shower head. Still, I had no luck with the first bar. Next, I read you need to give it a couple of weeks. Nope, still a greasy mess. Finally, I researched a little more and discovered a different brand with more options for different hair types. Bingo! My hair was back to normal and shiny and untangled in days.

Finding bar soap for my face and body was easier, and switching from my plastic ‘poof’ to a bamboo loofah and from plastic to bamboo toothbrushes were easy switches. But switching to a more natural and plastic-free deodorant proved a rougher, damper switch. In the past, I’d always used a combo antiperspirant and deodorant, but most natural options don’t include the ingredients that keep you dry. Not gonna lie, it took a while for this sweaty girl to get used to this. But once I realized that damp didn’t equate to stinky, I was more confident about the swap. I’m still experimenting to find the perfect bar, but it’s more of a texture and scent preference now.

In the kitchen, I mostly ditched paper towels by switching to bamboo dishcloths and loofah sponges, reduced paper plates and napkins by using real plates and cloth napkins, switched to wooden-handled scrubbers, and most recently I am moving from plastic hand soap and dishwashing bottles to refillable glass ones. In addition to these changes, I’ve switched to Dropps laundry and dishwashing pods that come in recyclable cardboard instead of the thick plastic containers my old brands used. (Here’s a referral coupon from Dropps.)


Most of these switches were easy. The costs were comparable (bar soaps and shampoos last a looong time if you keep them dry between showers!), the results have been as good or better as my previous products, and most importantly I can feel good about making some daily positive changes to leave the world a better place for my son.

Photo credit: ID 137977453 © Chernetskaya | Dreamstime.com

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Holiday Book Advent Calendar, Year Two

Posted in Holidays, Parenting, Raves and Reviews, Uncategorized4 Comments

Last year I wrote a post about trying out a holiday book advent calendar with my son, who at the time was 20 months. It was an idea that I hadn’t seen or paid attention to prior to having kids, but fell in love with after little man arrived. It was a huge hit with both of us—he loved opening a present every night, and I loved reading different holiday-themed stories each night. Needless to say, it was a no-brainer to do it again this year—although I did add a bit of a twist.

I started with the bin of books I put away from last year. I weaned out the true baby books and some I just didn’t particularly like. To replace those, I went a little nuts on Amazon creating a list of potential new books for this year. Under Christmas stories for toddlers I searched for his interests…er, obsessions: dinosaurs, anything Disney Junior, Paw Patrol, Give a Mouse a Cookie, lift-the-flap, and scratch and sniff books. Then I added a few classics like Snowmen at Christmas and Bear Stays Up for Christmas. We had been gifted The Polar Express this summer to cover the train obsession, as well as the books-to-make-mom-cry category. (Seriously, I sobbed during my first reading of that one!)

A few flash sales later (and one email to his grandmother with a link my wish list) and bingo, I had more than the 25 books needed to fill out the month. This weekend I wrapped them all, combining a few sets, and leaving the Gaga (his name for gramma) books at her house to be opened and read with her on Fridays when they’re together all day.

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Last year I stacked the books and let him choose a book randomly from the pile. This year I put them in a plastic bin loosely ordered to assure the newer books will be opened early, so we can enjoy them all month.

December 1st falling on a Saturday this year, I also chose a special book to be opened first, Christmas Cookie Day, and along with it a small present I found on sale, the Melissa and Doug Christmas Cookie set. If all goes well, I’ll let him open both after nap and we can bake a batch of real cookies together to eat while we read the first of many holiday books!

The only other change I’m making to our holiday book advent calendar this year is adding an element to try to teach my little guy about giving, not just receiving. Our thankful turkey and focus on gratitude this month left me looking for ways to continue teaching and modeling positive qualities. I made a “Give, Make, Help” list of 25 things to do, with the idea that before we open a gift from the book pile each night, he’d first do something nice for someone else. I kept everything pretty simple, age-appropriate, and, with only a few exceptions, mostly things we can do right at home, such as help feed the cat or clean up toys, make a card or picture for someone, or give hugs or kisses. I’m sure it won’t be flawless, but it’s a small way of beginning to teach him that the holidays are about caring for others, and gifts are only one way we show that.

Frankly, I’d prefer snuggles and books with my boy to any present.

Happy Holidays and happy reading!

For those looking to add some new stories to their own holiday list this year, here are some affiliate links to some of the books in my little guy’s advent book calendar this year.

Meal Delivery Review: Hello Fresh vs. Blue Apron

Posted in Raves and Reviews, Single motherhood8 Comments

Cooking as a single woman was easy. If I felt like cooking, I did. If I needed to run out mid-recipe for an ingredient, I could. If I didn’t want to clean up that same night, I didn’t. If I had no motivation to even call out, I dined on the tried and true favorite of single women everywhere: cereal and wine. Life was good—not always healthy, but good.

Now that Little Man is starting to eat real food (lots of it!), I need to up my dinnertime game. Not particularly good at planning meals and grocery lists for the week, or keeping a well-stocked pantry, and definitely in need of some motivation to actually cook even when I buy the right ingredients, I decided a meal delivery service might be good for me.

I was lucky enough to have friends who used the two most popular companies, Hello Fresh and Blue Apron, which allowed me to try both free for a week. Then to be fair to each, I tried them both for a second week, as well.

First, let me tell you what meal delivery companies don’t do. They don’t prep the food, watch the hangry baby, cook the meal, or clean up after it. So those parts still suck. You also do need some basic cooking skills. If you can burn boiled water, you probably need more help than these services deliver. They do, however, both indicate which meals are more complicated and time-consuming to make, which allows you to make wise decisions. (If you don’t read this before selecting, you end up making risotto at 9pm for the next night, since you know there’s no way the baby will safely let you stand over a hot pan for 30 mins.)

But getting past my fantasy of having a personal chef, as well as my problem with not reading directions carefully, I found both Hello Fresh and Blue Apron to be time-savers, not to mention I wasted less food, cooked healthier meals, and didn’t stress every night about what I could make for dinner.

These companies work by having you create an account where you put in your preferences, choose meals from a handful of options that match those each week, then pick a day for delivery. When the box arrives, it contains all the ingredients (except a few basic staples like oil and salt and pepper) in the right amounts, with recipe cards for each night’s meal that walk you step-by-step through the cooking process.

Because they only give you what you need, you’re not having to buy extras just to make the recipe, a constant problem of cooking for one (and a half). I also don’t need to sit with three different recipes and create a shopping list and then scour the tiny town grocery store for the one ingredient they are sure not to have. And since I signed up for the two-person, three meal plan, the recipes and ingredients are already portioned out, so I don’t find myself eating the same bowl of chili for weeks on end, as I do every time I pull out the crock pot. Every. Time.

As you can probably tell, I’m sold. Not that I won’t take breaks here and there, especially as grilling and salad season approaches, but another great feature of both Hello Fresh and Blue Apron are that either site allows you to skip weeks whenever you need or want to.

That said, one woman and her baby do not need two meal delivery kits in one week. I learned this the hard way when I accidently forgot to cancel a delivery. Though from this, I learned you can freeze the meats if needed! I also suggest setting a reminder on your phone to remind you to choose your meals (otherwise the company chooses for you based on your preferences) and/or to skip weeks you don’t want deliveries.

But which to choose?

Things that were comparable between Hello Fresh and Blue Apron:

  • relatively easy account set-ups and fairly user-friendly websites
  • price ($59.94 for three two-serving meals)
  • similar plan options for larger families and vegetarians and other dietary needs
  • free delivery with a choice of days
  • additional nutritional and cooking information available online prior to choosing meals

And honestly a lot more. They are clearly competitors and know they have to offer what the other does to keep up.

Differences:

  • Blue Apron overlaps some ingredients, which somewhat limits your meal choices. Once you choose one meal, it limits what others you can choose based on what ingredients are similar. My top choices of course didn’t line up either of the two weeks I tried it, so I had to pick some meals I wasn’t as excited about.
  • Hello Fresh, on the other hand, gives you six choices (and a seventh breakfast choice, which is new) and you can choose any three. I put in the “fit” preference, so it automatically sends the three healthiest versions unless I go in and change it, which I almost always do, because, of course, the higher calorie choices always sound too damn delicious to pass up.
  • Because Hello Fresh doesn’t overlap ingredients, the delivery contains three small boxes with everything you need except the meat, which both companies package separately on the ice pack for delivery. While some people might not like the added boxes in the fridge, I liked the individual packaging because I could grab a box and go, without having to worry about putting back the remains of certain items for another meal. (I’ve heard people say they won’t do a meal delivery system because of the added waste, but most of the packaging is recyclable, and you’re wasting less food, so it seems no more wasteful than shopping at the store.)
  • I felt like both companies’ meals took a good amount of time to cook and prep, especially that first week, but got somewhat better the next week when I was used to the system. Blue Apron was a bit more time consuming on average, though, and had more unique ingredients, so I feel like I’m less likely to recreate their recipes later on my own.

So my overall verdict: Hello Fresh was the best fit for me. More choice and a little less time to prepare and cook (especially now that I prep the veggies for a couple meals at once during a weekend nap, see pic below).

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If you’re interested in trying Hello Fresh, I’ve got three freebie weeks to give away to the first people to share and/or Pin and comment. For everyone else, here’s a link for $40 off your first week!