Have You Found Dad the Perfect Gift?

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Maybe it's just me, but I swear dads are the hardest people to shop for.  Ok, yes, I could get my dad his favorite golf balls every year. He WOULD be happy! But it's just so boring.  And how many ties does one dad need.  Especially now that he's retired (again)?  

To try to keep our Father's Day presents a little more fresh for MY dad, I've tried letting my boys pick out stuff for him.  What? I'm SURE he loved that dollar store gift my five year old insisted we HAD to get him! 

Maybe this year we'll check out the Father's Day Gift Shop at Kohl's.  I was just looking online and they really have a little something for everyone.  Have a grill master dad? Check out this super cool Cubbies grill cover!  I especially love that when you shop Kohl's online you can view items in any category (such as gold apparel) by price range too so if you're working with a budget you can easily narrow down the items.

Still at a loss for what to get dear ole dad this year?  Consider buying tickets for you and he to attend a game or concert together.  You are NEVER to old to have a great time, creating new memories with your dad!  Or how about giving him the gift of remembering old memories.  Put together a great photo book of all the fun adventures you've shared over the years.

T-Ball Time Wordless Wednesday 6/12/13 #WW

My lil T-Ball cutie

T-Ball is always more fun with friends!

First hit of the season!

Link up YOUR Wordless Wednesday post!

Take Dad Out to the Ball Game

The best gift to give this Father's Day is the gift of time spent together.  With the Chicago White Sox you can spend the day at the ball park affordably! Every Sunday features specially priced tickets starting as low as $5 and parking for only $10. Tickets are available to all non-Sunday games for as little as $7.

The Chicago White Sox have dedicated Sunday, June 9th as Father Daughter Day. On this special day, all fathers, stepfathers, grandfathers, father-figures, and their daughters are invited to enjoy a day at the ballpark and watch the White Sox in action. In addition to specially-priced tickets, you'll have the opportunity to enjoy various activities at Gate 1 before walking around the field together in our Pre-Game Parade(*based upon availability*)!! Following the ballgame, be sure to stick around for the postgame fireworks.
Game time is at 1:10 p.m.; to participate in the parade please be at the Gate 1 area no later than, 12:15.
** SPECIAL NOTE FOR PARADE PASSES: Please make sure to add the parade passes when purchasing your tickets. After you have selected the delivery method for your tickets, scroll down to add the parade passes. There is no additional charge for the parade. Parade tickets are limited to the first 1,800 people, and is weather permitting.
Tickets normally priced at $40, $15, $15, and $10 are available for $30, $10, $10, and $5.

*Lower Level seats are extremely limited, so act quickly!*

For more info or to purchase tickets visit the White Sox online here.

The White Sox have a great giveaway for kids this Sunday, June 9^th as the White Sox face off against the Oakland Athletics. The first 10,000 kids ages 13 and under will receive a White Sox XL Kids Jersey presented by Pepsi. 


Do you remember YOUR first game?

Earlier this season we took the boys to a White Sox game and they LOVED it.  It is a truly family friendly field with convenient parking (and tailgating is an option), a kid deck and so much more!

MIKE THE KNIGHT™ CHARGES INTO GURNEE MILLS THIS WEEKEND

MIKE THE KNIGHT™ CHARGES INTO GURNEE MILLS THIS WEEKEND FOR
“MIKE THE KNIGHT AND THE MISSION FOR HIDDEN TREASURE”

Local children to enjoy two free live interactive musical show performances and special activities

Huzzah! On Saturday, June 8 Mike the Knight™ and his friends are galloping into Gurnee Mills, the largest outlet and value retail shopping destination in Illinois, for special live performances of Mike the Knight and the Mission for Hidden Treasure.  The free 20-minute interactive musical adventure will also feature Mike’s dragon, Squirt, from the beloved television series on Nick Jr., and includes meet & greets, photo opportunities, giveaways and a preview of the first Mike the Knight toys from Fisher-Price.  Performances will be held at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., with special activities to run until 2 p.m. in the Gurnee Mills Show Court.

It’s time to be a knight, and do it right!  Mike the Knight and the Mission for Hidden Treasure follows Mike, Squirt and friends, as they piece together clues to discover hidden treasure.  To help Mike accomplish his mission, audience members are invited to take on special fun-filled challenges alongside Mike and Squirt and learn lessons in knightliness.  After the show, young knights in training will have the opportunity to tell Mike the Knight what knightly deeds they have done and participate in a special knighting ceremony. Guests are encouraged to come dressed in knight and princess attire and participate in all of the fun.

“A great family-friendly destination, Gurnee Mills not only offers an unmatched selection of retailers, but also events and activities to create lasting memories with loved ones,” said Chelsie Petereit, director of marketing and business development at Gurnee Mills. “We are committed to providing a unique shopping experience and encourage members of the local community to take advantage of all that Gurnee Mills has to offer.”

Mike the Knight is a new CG-animated preschool series that invites viewers into a fantastical world of castles, quests, dragons and trolls that centers on Mike, a young knight-in-training, with a bright future ahead of him.  The son of the King and Queen of Glendragon, he is determined to follow in his father’s footsteps to become a brave and noble knight.  Co-produced by HIT Entertainment and Nelvana, the series currently airs on Nick Jr., Monday – Saturday, from 7 p.m. – 8 p.m.  Additionally, a new line of books featuring Mike the Knight just released from Simon & Schuster, as well as an all-new toy line from Fisher-Price and Mike’s first home entertainment title, Knight in Training, recently released on DVD from NCircle Entertainment.

Mike the Knight will be touring across 15 markets through July 13.  For more information about Mike the Knight and the Mission for Hidden Treasure” and other tour stops visit www.miketheknight.com/malltour.  Follow Mike the Knight on Facebook (www.facebook.com/miketheknightofficial) and Twitter @MikeTheKnightUS.

Use Jars and Bottles To Organize a Playroom

A children’s playroom can sometimes be hard to manage and keep organized. Luckily, the empty glass or plastic containers you have in your home can be repurposed to solve this problem. Jars and bottles are surprisingly versatile and, with a little creativity, can become great space savers. This guide will walk you through some of the ways you can apply this creativity to keep your child’s playroom safe and organized.

First you will want to consider the ways you can repurpose these containers to use space more efficiently. There are many ways to do this. One solution is to build an organizer out of old mason jars. If you have multiple jars around the house, you can use a hot glue gun to build an organizer out of these extra containers. Start with the most jars on the bottom, and then glue a row with one less jar on top. Keep building rows with one less jar, until you reach the top with only one jar in the row.

The final product will ultimately look like a pyramid, and you can use this as an organizer for miscellaneous items. Mason jars will work okay but it’s best to search through plastic and glass jars online, and try to find hexagonal or straight-sided jars. The flat sides of these types of containers provide more stability to the structure, and a flat edge on the bottom to support the weight of all the jars.

Another space saving technique you can try will capitalize on the unused space under a wooden desk or bookstand. Simply use a hammer or screwdriver to nail the lid of a container to the wood underneath the desk. Then fill the container with items you may need while at the desk. If it is a craft desk, fill with buttons or glitter.

Then screw the jar back onto the lid to store these things under the desk. This is a space saver and provides your child with easy access to the items in the jar. It is also a safer alternative to storing jars in high places such as in closets or on counters. It will prevent your child from climbing to reach something they need. Any container with a screw-on lid will work, but smaller tureen jars are probably best. The shape is easier for children to manage themselves.

Finally, you can use magnetic spice jars for crafting items and materials to better organize your child’s playroom. Install a magnet to a wall in the playroom and put your spice jars here instead of in the kitchen. If you don’t have spice jars, you can buy clean jars online or just glue magnets on any small jar with a hot glue gun.

While plastic and glass containers make great space savers, they also can be used for creative labeling purposes. You can pick up a bucket of chalkboard paint and cover a few bottles with it. Your kids can use chalk to label each container with new items. This could be a great way to separate different colored glitter or buttons for crafts. A more permanent labeling technique calls for some paint and a glue gun. Write a label with the glue gun and then paint over the whole jar after it dries, adding texture to the label.