You should be proud—you braved another Chicago winter. And, it was a brutal one. Your reward is the flurry of new activities the change of seasons brings. Nature walks, outdoor art displays, new museum exhibits. Put on your shades and your favorite tee (but layer it with a fleece. . . this is the windiest of cities, after all) and get out there. Here are just a few ways to say “well, hello there!” to spring.
Astrographics at Art on theMart
Art on theMART
Beginning Apr. 1, Art on theMART is presenting Astrographics in collaboration with Adler Planetarium. The outdoor show on the facade of Merchandise Mart will explore ways in which humans conceptualize their universe and how that has changed over time. It will consist of four movements (Earth, Other Worlds, Stars and Beyond) which will transport the viewer from Earth to other planets and stars, then out to deeper and more speculative realms.
Spring Nature Walk at Peggy Notebaert
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum is definitely a favorite museum among Chicagoans, but they've been closed for an extended period due to COVID. If you're missing them, register your family for a guided nature walk through the museum's outdoor exhibits. You'll learn about the plants and animals that call the museum's grounds home. From grasses to trees to bugs and birds, you never know what you'll see! Nature walks scheduled for Mar. 30, Apr. 1 & Apr. 3.
Greektown Chicago invites Chicagoans to take a stroll down Halsted St. to view Fanciful Fish, an outdoor sculpture exhibit with 21 artworks. The exhibit was created by a diverse group of Chicago artists and celebrates Greek culture, from mythological gods and seaside vistas to the Greek language.
Immersive Van Gogh at Lighthouse ArtSpace Chicago
Immersive Van Gogh
Chicago's must-see art exhibition this season is Immersive Van Gogh. The experience invites audiences to step inside the iconic works of the post-Impressionist artist Vincent Van Gogh, evoking his highly emotional and chaotic inner consciousness through art, light, music, movement and imagination.
Interactive Fun at WNDR Museum
WNDR Museum
The ever-evolving, immersive art and technology experience, WNDR Museum, has reopened with new interactive art, touchless experiences and enhanced safety measures. Prioritizing joy, curiosity and creativity, the reimaged experience features one-of-a-kind installations from artists, collectives and studios locally and globally.
Virtual Sleepover with Shedd Aquarium
Shedd Aquarium
Shedd's virtual sleepover introduces kids to the aquarium's impressive world of aquatic animals, with a special emphasis on tropical adaptations. The whole family will experience up-close animal encounters, play games, participate in activities and watch a live feeding in the Caribbean Reef over breakfast. Sleepovers are available Mar. 19, Apr. 9 & May 8.
Marvel Super Heroes Exhibit at MSI
Museum of Science & Industry
The Museum of Science & Industry's Marvel: Universe of Super Heroescelebrates Marvel history with more than 300 artifacts, including original comic book pages, sculptures, interactive displays and costumes and props from Marvel's blockbuster films. Visitors to the Museum can learn about the origin of iconic characters such as Spider-Man, Black Panther, Hulk and Captain Marvel and see how they have evolved alongside society over the past 80 years.
Six Flags is the Midwest's largest theme park featuring over 45 thrilling rides, shows and attractions. When the park reopens on Apr. 24 with COVID safety protocols in place, your family can feel the thrill of pulse-pounding coasters or have a chill day on gentle rides geared toward the tots.
Tee Up at Mini-Golf
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Hit a hole-in-one by going clubbin' with the family at Topgolf Naperville and Wood Dale. Kill two birds with one—improve your golf game while also showing your kids just how amazing you are with a club in hand. If you prefer your game miniaturized, check out one of these mini courses for kitschy fun.
Take a Hike
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You could hang in the urban jungle all year round and never run out of things to do, but how about adding fresh air, unforgettable scenery and facetime with critters in their natural habitat to the mix? Lace up your boots and hit these favorite hiking spots no matter the temps. Tip: Spring is the absolute best time to visit Starved Rock to see their waterfalls in action.
Dinos Everywhere & Virtual 5K with Brookfield Zoo
Nearly 45 animatronic dinosaurs that are BIGGER and BADDER than any dinos you've ever met are visiting Brookfield Zoo. Dinos Everywhere features acres of earth-shakers, including the largest—argentinosaurus—that was estimated to measure more than 100 feet in length and weigh up to 110 tons.
Brookfield Zoo is hosting their first-ever Virtual 5K Spring Run/Walk. Get outside and enjoy the warm weather and glorious colors of spring. You choose the time and place—take a hike in a forest preserve, jog along a waterfront trail or stroll through a neighborhood. Each runner will receive a numbered bib and commemorative swag with registration.
Jo Jo Shake Bar's Candyland
Jo Jo's Shake Bar is even sweeter than normal with the launch of Jo Jo's Candyland. In this immersive dining experience, you'll experience over-the-top shakes, biggie hot chocolates, signature cocktails and delicious diner fare.
We’ve been waiting on details for Disney California Adventure Park’s Avengers Campus for months. The land, which will bring together all the Marvel characters in the universe is slated to open this summer and will finally provide a home to the galaxy’s best and brightest heroes.
On Mar. 6, Red Tricycle was invited to attend a special event at the Disneyland Resort to get a sneak peak at how the newest land is coming along. Representatives met with Disney Imagineers, sampled all the tasty treats, had hands-on interaction with new merchandise and even got to see our fave superheroes in action. Keep reading to get the first inside look at the brand new Avengers Campus!
Land Renderings
Avengers Campus is an all-new land where “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes” will unite and seek new recruits. Perfect for fans of all ages, guests will have the opportunity to not just see a hero, but become one and find the hero within.
This living, breathing campus will embrace three core themes of heroism, optimism and empowerment. If you’re wondering about the name, C.A.M.P.U.S. actually stands for Centralized Assembly Mobilized to Prepare, Unite and Safeguard.
Avengers Campus
The story behind the new campus starts with Tony Stark, who donated the complex which was previously one of his father's former Stark Industries sites. The land stands as a place to train the next generation of heroes, and is packed with authentic details.
To the right of the image above, guests will be able to enjoy an outdoor seating area at Pym Test Kitchen, the on-campus eatery. Park goers will have a prime viewing area to watch for their fave characters at the nearby Avengers Headquarters.
Avengers Headquarters
The center of the land, Avengers Headquarters will be a place for heroes to showcase their talents. Atop the building sits a Quinjet, an iconic aircraft often used by Avengers. There will be daily shows on and around the HQ as well as never-before-seen heroes and villains in the area, like General Okoye and the Dora Milage and the villainous Taskmaster and even Loki. Guests will also catch a peek at Iron Man in his new Disney-exclusive suit, the Mark 80.
Pym Test Kitchen- Exterior
Training superheroes will need to stay hydrated and fueled and they can head to Pym Test Kitchen, a "food innovation science lab." Taking their cue from Ant-Man's Hank Pym, the restaurant also uses Pym Particles to grow and shrink their food. Don't be surprised to receive a giant soft pretzel alongside an oversized chicken sandwich with a teeny, tiny bun.
Pym Test Kitchen- Interior
Pym Test Kitchen will also be home to Pingo Doce, the iconic soda from the Hulk franchise. In collaboration with Coca-Cola, Pym's Test Kitchen will be the only place to grab this "sweet drop" beverage. Get ready to see oversized soda cans hanging from the ceiling, and innovative ways to serve up ketchup and mustard.
Next door, adults will enjoy the Pym Tasting Lab with eight draft beers (four of which will be served via reverse draft) as well as wine and cocktails.
Doctor Strange at The Sanctum
The outdoor Sanctum will be home to Doctor Strange, a collection of overgrown ruins. Kids and adults alike can learn the secrets of the mystic arts as well as find magical artifacts.
The Sanctum at Night
Unlike traditional meet and greets with characters, Doctor Strange will help train guests in the mystic arts with powerful spells. The Sanctum will be a sight to behold come evening, with beautiful lights that pulsate with energy.
Avengers Unite
Any fan of Marvel Comics will note that some of our beloved characters are no longer with us. However, "We know now that there’s a vast multiverse with an infinite number of timelines and dimensions; we live in one where the Super Heroes have assembled from across time and space to meet with us at Avengers Campus."
Heroes will include Iron Man, Spider-Man, Groot and the Guardians of the Galaxy, Black Panther, the Dora Milaje, Ant-Man, the Wasp, Black Widow, Thor, Doctor Strange, Captain America and Captain Marvel.
Attractions
In addition to Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout, Avengers Campus will bring another attraction to the Marvel Universe. Red Tricycle was among the first to learn about the newly named ride, WEB Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure.
Worldwide Engineering Brigade-WEB
Avengers Campus prized new address is the Worldwide Engineering Brigade, known as WEB. It's here that young recruits with innovative minds like Peter Parker come to share their knowledge so that everyday people can become heroes. WEB is also the sight for the newest attraction, WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Attraction.
WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure
The students at WEB are bright, but a little eclectic, too. Their newest invention, Spider-Bots are designed as "robotic sidekicks" and can build anything you might need to take on evil. When guests enter the attraction, they will get to watch Peter Parker's demonstration about WEB's robots––but something goes amiss! The Spider-Bots become stuck in a replication loop and begin running all over the new campus.
On Mar. 11 it was announced that Tom Holland will reprise his role as Spider-Man in the new attraction!
WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure Attraction- Internal
Hop on a Web Slinger vehicle wearing 3D classes to help the WEB students capture all the Spider-Bots! This innovative attraction uses specially-designed technology that scans body movements 60 times per second, and simulates webs slinging from guests hands. Just reach out your hands like Spider-Man and use the webs to catch the bots and reveal hidden Easter eggs as the vehicles twist and spin. Throughout the ride, guests will virtually pass through the Campus, and at the end will be able to see how many Spider-Bots they caught. Do your best, and you could just make it on the marquee for the entire campus to see!
This ride has no height requirement, so park goers of any size can ride.
Food & Drink
The Avengers Campus will remain authentic to the Marvel Universe, even down to the robust collection of menu items. Be prepared to feast on inspired cuisine, sit back with a reverse draft beverage and dine at the Avenger’s favorite hangout, the Shawarma Palace Cart.
Red Tricycle had the opportunity to taste test many of the items you’ll see below, and we have to say the Avengers outdid themselves! You will be pleasantly surprised at the kid-friendly appeal, protein and plant-based options and the family-friendly portions.
Experiment No. IP42: Quantum Pretzel
Stop by the Pym Test Kitchen and pick up Experiment No. IP42: Quantum Pretzel, a snack that that has been enlarged by a quantum tunnel. The carby treat is big enough for the whole family and comes with mustard and beer cheese dipping sauce.
Experiment No. EE90: Not So Little Chicken Sandwich
Looking for a full meal? Order the Experiment No. EE90: Not So Little Chicken Sandwich which features fried chicken breast with teriyaki and red chili sauces, pickled cabbage slaw and crispy potato tots.
Experiment No. EE746: PB³ Superb Sandwich
The one of a kind PB³ Superb Sandwich is a feast for the senses. It features peanut butter, banana, smoked bacon and strawberry jelly with a banana smoothie shot and crispy potato tots.
Experiment No. EE10: PYM-ini
Sandwich lovers will enjoy Experiment No. EE10: PYM-ini, a panini on toasted focaccia with salami, rosemary ham, provolone, sun-dried tomato mayonnaise and arugula with marinara dipping sauce. Purchase as an individual serving or as a long, multi-portion sandwich.
Experiment No. EE45: ImpossibleTM Spoonful
Vegans will enjoy sinking their teeth into Experiment No. EE45: ImpossibleTM Spoonful. This pasta dish is made with plant-based Impossible™ large and micro meat-balls, served in a super-sized spoon with a tiny fork.
Snack Molecules
Head to the Pym Tasting Lab, adjacent to the Pym Test Kitchen to enjoy a few Snack Molecules featuring popped sorghum with mini pretzels and honey roasted peanuts.
Pym Tasting Lab Beverages
Get refreshed with a craft beer like theblood orange hefeweizen to an amber lager and more. Enjoy flavors like habanero and mango syrup, vanilla ice cream, lemon juice or cherry flavored pearls with an alcohol base of tequila, stout, gin or hard seltzer.
Featured above from left to right, alcoholic beverages: X-Periment, Molecular Meltdown, Honey Buzz and Particle Fizz.
The Regulator
The Regulator, a beer cocktail, is made with Patron Silver tequila, lime juice, habanero and mango syrup, Golden Road Mango Cart wheat ale and garnished with mango flavored popping pearls.
Proton PB&J Punch & Pingo Doce
Kids will also enjoy options from the Pym Tasting Lab and Pym Test Kitchen. Featured above, the kid-friendly Proton PB&J Punch features Odwalla® lemonade with flavors of strawberry and peanut butter, and Pingo Doce.
Cosmic Cream Orb
Terran Treats is a brand new cart that will be located near Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout! Created by Taneleer Tivan and his love for collectables, this cart will feature a creative intergalactic menu. Featured above is the Cosmic Cream Orb, a crispy cream puff with whipped raspberry cheesecake mousse.
Sweet Spiral Ration
Terran Treats will also offer the colorful Sweet Spiral Ration Churros with unique flavors. Don't let your eye deceive you––the color may not match the flavor!
Merchandise
Disney has developed over 100 new products, including park exclusives that will outfit your Avenger with everything they need to join the next generation of superhero recruits.
WEB Suppliers & Campus Supply Pod
WEB Suppliers and the Campus Supply Pod will be the destinations Avengers Campus gear and supplies. A short walk from WEB SLINGERS, park goers can expect to find performance-based apparel, robotics and STEM-based activities.
Spider-Bot
Grab your own Spider-Bot as seen in WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure. These buildable Spider-Bots can battle each other, have eight legs, light and sound effects, 360 degree remove functionality, and will help your little hero on the journey to saving the universe.
Spider-Bot Tactical Upgrades and Spider-Man Backpack
Heroes can use several tactical upgrades inspired by faves Black Panther, Iron Man, Black Widow, Ant-Man and The Wasp. Each upgrade not only looks different but brings a whole new set of battle options.
Carry your Spider-Bot in style with the Spider-Man backpack which offers the perfect spot to load your sidekick.
Spider-Man Light Goggles and Web Shooters
Sure to be a big seller, Spider-Man light goggles and Web Shooters will be sold at WEB Suppliers. The light-up goggles feature 17 expressions, while the Web-Shooters are worn as cuffs and will have authentic lights and sounds.
Disneyland Exclusive Funko Pop! Vinyl Figurines
The hype continues with Disneyland Resort-exclusive Funko Pop! vinyl figurines. Guest will be able to initially shop the Spider-Man with Spider-Bots and Iron Man, with the potential for more to be added in the future.
S.T.E.M. Compound Kits
WEB Recruits will be excited to get their hands on S.T.E.M. Compound Kits from WEB Suppliers. Little learners can create webs or Gamma Glow Goo, and learn about the science behind their fave heroes like the Incredible Hulk and Spider-Man.
WEB Youth Apparel and Spider-Man Costume
Lots of apparel items await at WEB Suppliers. Amongst the everyday wear, superheroes can also snatch the park exclusive Spider-Man costume. featured above.
Are you excited yet? Avengers Campus at the Disneyland Resort, inside Disney California Adventure Park opens July 18, 2020!
Back in our day, trick-or-treating meant hunting for full-sized candy bars with an empty pillowcase, an orange UNICEF box, and a coveted Ben Cooper plastic costume. Sure those masks had no ventilation and the coats our moms made us wear ruined the effect, but man, those were the (spooky) days. Here’s a look back at some of the best ensembles from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. Which one did you have?
We didn’t even know She-Hulk was a thing.
Jem from Jem and the Holograms.
“Show’s over, Synergy!”
Road Runner
Beep, beep! Can’t catch me!
A Popple
Remember these little guys? Did we ever figure out if they were teddy bears with tails?
Barbie Cowgirl
“I’m a Barbie girl, in a Barbie world.”
Wonder Woman
Even the Lasso of Truth won’t be able to save you from this trainwreck of a mask.
Princess Leia
The force was strong with this costume, but good luck fitting a cinnamon bun hairdo under that mask.
Pound Puppy
Who could resist those (pound) puppy dog eyes?
Cabbage Patch Kid
So that’s where cabbage patch kids came from!
He-Man
By the power of Greyskull! Now that we’re older, we have a deeper appreciation for built-in abs.
Glo Worm
Unfortunately, the costume didn’t come with that special inner glow.
Lisa Simpson
This was the costume if you had a pesky big brother and constantly felt like the smartest person in your family.
Chuck Norris
There was no tougher costume than the Karate Kommando himself.
Cornelius or Zira? Who knows, we could never tell them apart …
The Fonz
Frequently mistaken for Richard Nixon or Ronald Reagan by those answering the door.
Scooby-Doo
The irony was, you couldn’t fit ANY sandwiches in your mouth through that mask.
Morticia Addams
Were you Team Munsters or Team Addams Family?
The Hulk
Based on the Marvel comic, not to be confused with the Lou Ferrigno/Bill Bixby TV series.
If this post makes you feel all warm and fuzzy and nostalgic, we’re happy to report there is a cult following for vintage Ben Cooper costumes on eBay, so have at it. When your kid complains about how “itchy” their $90 Plush Minions costume is, you can break into a righteous “When I was a kid …” speech with the goods to back it up.
After ten long months of being pregnant with my first child Henry, I literally could not wait to meet him.
Actually, I don’t know if it was that I couldn’t wait to meet him or that I couldn’t wait for him to evacuate the premises.
I am not a good pregnant person. I gain a ton of weight, swell up kind of like the Hulk and complain ALL.DAY.LONG about the fact that I am angry, hot, sweaty and have somehow busted out four pairs of flip flops in one week.
This is a “sort of” apology to my husband for having to endure my pregnancy madness twice. But am I really THAT sorry? No. I grew a human in my uterus. I CREATED LIFE! I have C-section scars and stretch marks. I will never be able to wear a bathing suit from Target ever again.
Anyway, my labor with Henry was pretty much a disaster. I was induced because of my crazy swollenness. I was checked into the hospital at 1 a.m. and started pushing around 2:30 p.m. After three hours of pushing, it was decided that I would need a C-section because the baby was too big.
I remember it being three hours of pushing because the TV over the nurse’s head had the show Friends on. I watched six episodes, including the one where Joey wore the maternity pants to Thanksgiving.
I was wheeled into the OR and had my sweet boy surgically removed from my body. Luckily, I had skipped the C-section part of my birthing class and still to this day don’t know exactly what they do to get the baby out. I know it has something to do with removing organs and scissors and other gross things I don’t want to think about.
Fifteen minutes later, they showed me my screaming baby boy and carried him over to the warmer. I remember thinking, holy sh*t, that kid was living inside of me and he is massive. A whopping nine pounds, two ounces.
I fell in love with that face. I thought he was the most beautiful baby I had ever seen in my entire life. I sent pictures of him to practically every contact in my phone. They all replied back with an, “Awww congratulations, he’s beautiful. He looks just like you and/or Logan.”
But here’s the deal. Looking back at pictures, Henry looked like a potato. He was SUPER yellow because of his jaundice and his head was shaped like a cone from three hours of pushing. He didn’t look like me or Logan. He just looked like a tiny little newborn alien.
Disclaimer: I love my children with all my heart. They are adorable and precious and I would step in front of a train for them. But looking back, they were not cute newborns. Judge me all you want.
When Simon was born, I had the expectation that he would come out looking like a tiny yellow potato. Instead, he came out looking like a fat little pissed-off potato. I remember the intense frown on his face when they held him up for me to see him. It was adorable. And I was in love all over again.
But once again, this fat little pissed-off potato looked nothing like me or my husband. Looking back at pictures, I realize that he looked a lot like his older brother. Which led me to the fact that all newborns look like potatoes.
The next time you visit a nursery in the hospital, see if you can pick out which baby is yours just by looking at the faces of all the newborns. I bet you money that you can’t because THEY ALL LOOK LIKE POTATOES!
I know we are supposed to have some sort of crazy bond with our child and I did feel that in my heart. I also felt it in my lungs because I could breathe again. But you could give me a lineup of newborn babies and as long as they weren’t an oddball with a crazy amount of hair, I honestly don’t know if I’d be able to pick Henry or Simon out.
Does this make me a bad mom? I don’t think so. My little potatoes have grown in the most adorable, handsome little boys ever.
So the next time some tells you that your newborn is beautiful, soak it all in, because in a few years you will look back and realize they looked just like every other kid in the hospital.
I am a full time working mom with two little boys, Henry and Simon. I write about real life and real life gets messy. Contributor for Motherly, HuffPost Parents, Scary Mommy, Today Parents, Love What Matters and Her View From Home.
Halloween may be a few months away, but that doesn’t have to stop your little super hero from dressing the part. Disney has released a 25-piece Avengers team dress-up trunk and there’s only one place to get it.
The Amazon-exclusive set is available now for $34.99 and includes dress up accessories for Captain America, Black Panther, Iron Man, and Hulk. It fits kids four to six, and even comes with an official Avengers identification badge holder!
photo: Disney
The four characters come with the following:
Captain America: Red, white and blue costume top, fingerless gloves, face mask with elastic band closure and fabric shield
Black Panther: Top, printed gloves, mask and beaded Wakandan kimoyo bracelet
Iron Man: Suit-armor top, face mask and gloves with printed palm Repulsors
Hulk: Green top, face mask and gloves
The entire trunk kit is available now on Amazon for $34.99.
Your favorite supervillians are here and ready for battle. The brand new Sinister Six Expansion Pack for Marvel United was the first-ever Marvel game on Kickstarter. Back in February, the game raised more than $2.8M by over 21,000 backers, and it’s finally available for purchase at Target, Walmart and Amazon.
Marvel United is a fast-paced, cooperative game where you band together with others as you play as your favorite Marvel superheroes and defeat villains. The game is also available to play in solo mode.
Game play is super easy and quick to learn so it’s perfect for family game night. The game is full of kids’ favorite superhero characters like Spiderman, Hulk, and Captain America. They will have fun collecting them all.
The game pieces come bare so the whole family can have fun painting them together which adds a whole new dimension to game play. No game is ever the same. Using different expansion packs and locations make it easy for you to play an infinite number of times all while exploring new challenges each time.
You’ve been waiting for what seems like infinity and beyond. Finally, you will be able to catch up with your old friends Buzz and Woody. Starting February 5, you will be able to stream Toy Story 4 on Disney+.
“Due to existing agreements this title will be available on February 5, 2020. Add to your watchlist now,” the movie’s page currently reads.
In order to stream Toy Story 4, you will need a Disney+ subscription, which costs $6.99 a month or $69.99 for a full year. Or, you can sign up for a free seven day trial.
While you’re waiting to get your Toy Story fix, check out what’s coming to Disney+ in February.
February 1 – Around the World in 80 Days
February 1 – Big Business
February 1 – The Sandlot
February 1 – Wicked Tuna (Seasons 1-2)
February 2 – Descendants 3
February 5 – Toy Story 4
February 7 – Pixar In Real Life: Toy Story: Traffic Cone Rescue
February 7 – Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made
February 7, 14, 21, 28 – Diary of a Future President (New Episodes 4-7)
February 7, 14, 21, 28 – Disney Family Sundays (New Episodes 14-17)
February 7, 14, 21, 28 – Marvel’s Hero Project (New Episodes 14-17)
February 7, 14, 21, 28 – One Day At Disney (New Shorts 10-13)
February 9 – Old Dogs
February 14 – Because of Winn-Dixie
February 14, 21, 28 – Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings (Season 2 Episodes 1-3)
February 14 – My Dog, The Thief
February 14 – Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief
February 14 – Splash
February 16- Marvel’s Iron Man & Hulk: Heroes United
February 21 – Lost Cities With Albert Lin
February 21 – Marvel Rising: Operation Shuri
February 21 – Marvel Rising: Playing with Fire
February 21, 28 – Star Wars: The Clone Wars (Season 7 Episodes 1-2)
February 21 – Unlikely Animal Friends (Seasons 1-2)
February 25 – Star Wars Resistance (Season 2)
February 28 – I Captured The King of the Leprechauns
In a completely cute collab with Marvel and DC Comics, Fun.com has cool winter coats featuring your kiddo’s fave comic book characters.
Not only can you score Marvel and DC Comic-themed designs for the whole fam, but if you visit Fun.com right now you can get the winter-wear on sale. What can you expect from this superhero-inspired sale?
Whether your littles are totally into Captain America, Thor, the Hulk or other comic-turned-film icons, Fun.com has a coat for them. With sale prices up to 90 percent off, you can nab the Kids Incredible Hulk Puffer Superhero Jacket for between $12.99 and $34.99 (81 percent off), the Kids Superman Puffer Jacket for between $12.99 and $49.99 (also 81 percent off) and so much more.
I have a secret to tell you, and I haven’t openly admitted it yet, even though you may have been suspecting… I havesuperpowers. The struggle is real, my friends. For me, it wasn’t until I had kids that I discovered my magical powers.
You see, I have the incredible ability to reach a level of exhaustion by the evening that will randomly turn my Mary Poppins persona into more like Miss Hannigan, sans the awful drunken part. I can sing like a cool popstar and then quickly sound like Darth Vader, if tested just so. My sweet eyes can hug you from across the room with a loving gaze, and they can also shoot red-hot laser beams to freeze a sneaky child’s actions in light-speed. I ammagical—I kid you not.
I am also the tooth fairy, the dishes fairy, the laundry fairy, and the bye-bye-boo-boo fairy. I have about a half dozen arms and legs that “go-go gadget” out of my body to carry children, groceries, backpacks, winter coats, water bottles, and a 10-pound purse at a moment’s notice. I have hyper-reflex powers that will catch a feisty child who kicked his chair backwards in a split second. My super-extendo arm has uncanny-spinning moves that can randomly catch a friend’s kid right before a nasty fall. I am superhuman, justlikeyou.
Parenting, wife-ing, professional-ing, mommy-ing, house cleaner-ing, and hot momma-ing may require a whole bunch of hats and even more energy than given credit, and we wouldn’t trade it for the world. But somehow, in the midst of these enchanted skills, my powers seem to dwindle quite quickly after the kids come home from school.
I do miss them all day and wait for the moment to give them a huge hug again, but somehow my superhuman level of exhaustion suddenly makes a cameo and peaks somewhere in between the usual afternoon code 3-alarm of life-threatening emergencies. You know, the kind where one child is squealing over a misplaced stuffed animal, at the same time as a child on the toilet needing immediate butt-wiping, another is tattling on her sibling who called her “stink-face,” and the inevitable contest of howls when one bumps another, so that neither of them get blamed for their secret smackdown over a toy.
And I often wonder if my phone is enchanted too, because every time I pick up a phone, something bizarre happens. No matter where I am in the house, my kids find me via their inner phone radar and fall into an intense trance, chanting “mommy” progressively louder and red in the face. Onlywhenthephonerings, right?
“Supermom” label or not, we all have our kryptonite breaking points. But even through my “Ol’ Yeller” syndrome, as my husband has coined it, I have somehow mostly mastered the art of taming my enchanted talents and keeping the peace and calm in the midst of any storm. If you have been touched by magical powers too, read on to learn how to diffuse your inner Incredible Hulk and Dr. Jekyll & Momma Hyde powers only for good.
I used to think that the only way to be “heard” was to raise my voice over the background noise. Talk above it and on it, and momma Hyde will reign supreme, shoot eye daggers to paralyze a misbehavior, or let out the inner Hulk to manage a fussy toddler into time-out, no matter how slippery. And when you feel really frustrated, unleash the Darth Vader quiet grumbly voice to really show them you’re mad.
After many mornings of feeling like a rockstar and many evenings feeling like a failure parent for shouting too much or being overtired and temperamental, I learned quite a few tangible tips that helped me to better cope and manage my superpowers.
1. Take off thecapeandsaysorry. When a moment gets the best of you and you unleash your beastly sounds, take a breath and just be human. When those impressionable eyes fill up with tears and their head turns to the side to figure out why you are so mad, just begin anew. Stop, take a breath, and be human again for a moment. No moment is that bad. Don’t crush their lively spirit with a terrible tirade. Apologize if you misspoke or shouted. Offer your sincere forgiveness for your temper and openly discuss your feelings. I am a strong proponent of “I feel” statements. It’s simply clear, non-verbose, and easy to process. Start off your thoughts with those two words and explain. It’s good for children to see that we are real human beings who actually make mistakes. Remember, your voice becomes a child’s inner voice and instinct. Teach and demonstrate positive behaviors as you would want them to do, mistakes and all.
2. Realize this isjustapassingwaveandrideitout. Here’s a great game I often play in my head during a moment. Just like a wave, a tantrum, over-sensorial squealy kid moment, or overwhelmed demandy-pants moment, they only last about 10-15 minutes or less (if you don’t fuel the situation and stretch it out). Regardless, the temper will pass if you ride it out. You decide how you want to pass the time, once you tune out the drama. Seriously, next fussy tantrum, check your watch and pass the time. Sometimes I sing over it, waste time on Facebook, or simply tune it out. I start with, “sorry, I don’t speak in Tantrum. Let me know when your calm voice returns and my ears will reopen.” First the noise grows terribly loud and then it miraculously stops with your fixed stance on the issue and calm demeanor. It’s incredible. Try it out, works every time! In the end, it’s a win-win because you conquered the storm without losing your cool.
3. Channelyourinnerlibrarian. I used to think that I needed to be louder to be heard. Classic faux pas, my friends. I even tried the teacher-clapping trick for attention, and it only worked for so long. I don’t seem to have those superpowers all the time. Then I learned that if I kept a calm tone, like a sweet librarian, the kids would first wonder why I wasn’t reacting, then they would impulsively ask me to stop yelling (until they realized that I was actually whispering), and then become quiet and respond calmly, mimicking my tone. It’s amazing how one mom sets the tone for the house, constantly. Test out this pattern and you will crack yourself up. You can thank me later.
I never knew how to get a handle on my temper, my chaos, and my moment, until these last few months. I can now go to sleep feeling proud and serene. Try it out and tweak it, as needed, for a while—and you will fall asleep at night feeling proud too, for a job well done.
Wishing you many peaceful sleeps (without knobby toddler knees piercing your back).
Ruthi Davis is a the Founder of Ruth Davis Consulting LLC with over two decades of success in advertising/marketing, media/publicity, business development, client relations, and organizational optimization for a variety of clients. Ruthi is a proud mom and influencer in the parenting and family market as founder of the Superfly Supermom brand.
This year, if the kids ask you what trick-or-treat really means, show don’t tell with one of these cute tricks that are big on laughs (and low-to-no scare). Think of it as your PSA to all those kids who think Halloween is all about the candy. Read on for our faves.
Rock Candy
If you are a fan of It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, this prank might become a family tradition. Slip a rock into all your kiddo’s treat bags when they aren’t looking, so when they get home and empty out their loot to be inspected, they’ll get to be Charlie Brown and say “I got a rock.” As the years go on, it’s even more fun to try to be as stealthy as possible before the kids catch you in action. Just make sure it’s big enough that they wouldn’t accidentally put it in their mouth.
Handy Bowl
Keep a straight face and tell the kids they’ll need to practice trick-or-treat etiquette before hitting the streets in search of sugar. Cut a hole in the bottom of a cardboard box or plastic bowl, stick your hand in the hole and cover it with candy. When your kids reach in for a treat, be ready for serious screeching when you grab and tickle their hand!
What’s for Dinner?
It’s not your average leftover night. Watch them squirm by “spicing” up the meal with creepy ingredients like pine fingers, glow worm larvae and divination leaves, and they’ll be begging for Monday Meatloaf.
Monster Drop
We all know monsters are partial to hiding behind closed doors, so get chills and thrills from your littles by stuffing a gaggle of Halloween balloons in your kid’s closet as they sleep. Looking to increase the scream factor? Try adding a dangling bag o’ bones to the clothing rack.
Lunch with a Friend
Add a big bug to their lunches, backpacks, beds or even cereal boxes for an insect-eresting prank that even has even us jumping in our chairs. We love how jokester and mom Morena creates her own set of creepy crawlies, you can find the how-to on her blog, Morena’s Corner.
Creeping Fingers
Let the kids know someone’s always watching by giving them a little surprise when they head for the bathroom first thing in the morning. A toilet bowl decal that looks like creepy eyes and fingers is perfect mix of scary and funny— and won’t be too much for the tiny tots at home. Grab one here.
BOO’ing Doorbell ditching has gotten a major upgrade, because this sweet trick is still a hot Halloween happening. Have the crew create a bag of treats— candy, coloring pages, and Dollar Trees goodies work well (we love this personalized cupcake for special ghouls from Favor Box Bakery, too!). Set the bag of swag in front of the chosen friend’s door, ring the door bell and scamper away quickly before they answer. Include the all-important “Boo-ed” sign for your target to proudly display in their window so future BOO’ers know they’ve already been hit. Want the info on how to to pull this off? Check out our story here.
Where Are Thou, Pumpkin?
Kidnap your child’s jack-o-lantern and leave a mysterious note in its place leading them on a scavenger hunt or giving playful demands to ensure its safe return. Turn it into a family adventure by teaming up with your kids to hijack an unflappable neighbor’s pumpkin and coordinate a thrilling scavenger hunt for a friend.
Treat Confusion
When the goblins saunter and princesses sashay to your door to collect their loot, hand out a classic Halloween treat, a Tootsie Roll. Little do they know that under the wrapper lies a roll of Smarties, instead. Imagine their surprise when they untwist the wrapper! Find out more over at Project Denneler.
Cotton Toes Stuff cotton balls or paper towels into to the tips of your kid’s shoes, making it seem as though their shoes have shrunk or their feet have grown rapidly. The faux growth spurt works especially well for kids dressing as the Incredible Hulk or a superhero — they’ll love thinking their alter ego has spurred lightning-fast growth.
Eye-Opening Refreshment Quench their thirst with these visionary (and super creepy) ice cubes that you can easily make at home. Add to anything from water to witch’s brew and your little goblins will get a eerie eyeful. Find out how to make your own version over at Our Holly Days.
