CT Hidden Gem: KidCity

I have been meaning to share about KidCity for months, heck, even years at this point, and for some reason never get to it. 

Last week, I brought my 3-year-old on Monday morning (membership perk being able to go Mondays before they open to the public) and while there realized I needed to share this fab find with my fellow CT mom friends. 

KidCity is a kids museum in Middletown and is three floors. The "basement" is meant for kids 2 and under and is an underwater theme. The floor is a bit cushioned and you can't wear shoes. It's great for those who can't walk yet but also good for your smaller toddlers to crawl and climb without being knocked over by big kids. Yes, I went there. Sorry. 

The main floor and top floor both have a lot of rooms. Each room has a different theme and carries interests for all different types of kids. My son loves every single room for a different reason and while we are there almost weekly, we never go to every room on a single visit. 

My son's favorite spot in the whole place, the hand-washing station. 

Some hidden things I love about Kid City:

- Every room you go to has seating for the parents. Whether it's a bench, an actual chair, a shelf built into the wall, they make sure there's always a spot for parents to pop a squat. 

- There's quiet rooms and rooms for moms to nurse. 

- You always find something new every time you go. We have been members now for three years, we go almost weekly, and I am not exaggerating when I say every single time we go I discover something new. 

- If you're a member, you can go Monday mornings 9-11 before they open and it's less crowded. They also have a few member nights where they stay open late but know those times get crowded. 

Helpful tips about Kid City:

- You have to pay for parking either on the street or in the public lot. And note, you WILL get a ticket if you don't. Been there, done that. 

- Membership is TOTALLY worth it. 

-  Amato's Toy Store is across the shared parking lot as well as R.J.Julia's bookstore. Well worth the few steps to get there and shop a bit. 

- Main Street in Middletown has a lot of family-friendly restaurants so it's a great place to go for the day. 

- Plan to be there for a few hours. It's a lot and can be overwhelming. And don't worry if you don't get to every room. Last month I just discovered a room I never knew was there because I didn't walk down a certain hallway EVER. 

Have you ever been? Do you have any tips or tricks to share? 

Hindinger Farm Fall Festival

Every year, we say we're going to head to the Fall Festival at Hindinger Farm and every year, we somehow don't make it. Well, not this year! We have actually been getting our weekly CSA from their farm for a few years now and their produce is incredible but what we love even more is the family-run business and warm, welcoming atmosphere they have each and every day. 

Their Fall Festival is no joke! There is SO MUCH to do for the entire family! On top of what is always at their farm on a daily basis for kids to do, they add a plethora of activities, games, and more for this event! 

They had an adorable photo booth area set up for families to take pictures, as well as an actual photo booth was there with props and all. We really enjoyed the authenticity of this one with the bales of hay, Indian corn, pumpkins, and more. 

Their pumpkin patch was well-stocked and had a variety of sizes of pumpkins to choose from plus they had a BIG assortment of mini-pumpkins and gourds for those who want to be extra creative when decorating their front porches!

They always have this amazing wood train play area at the farm that kids (and adults) can play on every day. But today it was jam-packed with tons of families having a blast, including our little one who just kept following all of the big kids! 

They have this incredible fenced-in animal farm where the kids can come and visit and watch the animals in their natural state. They have chickens and lots of goats of all ages and varieties. Today, the kids really enjoyed the rare opportunity to watch them get fed! 

Talk about creative! Inside these bales of hay were bowling pins and balls (or baby pumpkins) and the families could bowl! And what was super smart on their part was the sand under the pins to keep them from falling over from the wind.

All kinds of activities were set up for families to enjoy. Ladderball was one of many! 

 
How bout those pumpkins?! They carved the pumpkins so kids could "golf" and aim for inside the pumpkin head!

The ring toss was fun for our little guy. He had a blast trying to get the hoops onto each pumpkin. I'll admit- this one was hard! 

They have a collection of kids toys and bicycles at the farm every day. But they brought out some extra special ones today. This one was a HUGE hit with Ness - we even googled it to see if we could get one for our house! 

Is it a true fall festival without a hayride?! Well, even though there wasn't any actual hay on our hay ride, there was a giant tractor pulling us so we'll call it a hay ride.

And if you don't selfie, did it really happen?!

They have food trucks and barbeque available for purchase and we LOVE that Caseus Cheese Truck was there so we took advantage of it as a family today!

And no fall fest is complete without a cider donut. Think we got enough donuts for the three of us?! Nope. 

I cannot say enough wonderful things about Hindinger Farms. They are a wonderful family, they run an incredible farm stand year-round and this Fall Festival is simply fantastic. They go above and beyond and are so giving to the community and families come from near and far. It is free to attend and all of the activities are free, you only have to pay for your food. If you go, be sure to say hello to Mrs. Hindinger. She's almost always behind the cash register. 

Have you even been to Hindinger Farms before?! 

Must Eat Monday: Bar Taco, Westport

Are you a Bar Taco fan?! If not, you have NO IDEA what you are missing out on. And as a mom of a toddler, I am always incredibly grateful for Bar Taco as they are family-friendly and their staff is exceptional with kids!

I learned something new this visit- I can order a kids guac and chips and there's no spice added to it! #winning over here with that! Then I got myself the tomatillo salsa and mixed it for me.

Little sticky fingers always has to have one more chip.

The Bar Taco location in Westport has the BEST views as it's right on the water. Just beware, their parking is minimal so you often have to park across the street then walk. But that view is totally worth it!

OK. The kids small tray is always more than enough food for more kids. They get a quesadilla, a taco of their choosing, a corn on the cob plus a fruit skewer and drink. WHAT?! And it's only $6. Why do get a happy meal when this meal makes everyone HAPPY!

I tend to stick with my one-of-each-method when we go for lunch because I usually end up eating some of his food too! But my favorites are the baja shrimp, the fish, and tuna lettuce wrap. I always try a secret taco and this time it's a marinated cod which is delectable. When we go back in two weeks, because I'm sure it'll happen, I'm getting 4 secret tacos!!

After lunch there, we also take a walk on their little boardwalk. But this week, we had a little dance party. Because, well, why not?! 

Have you been to Bar Taco yet?! 

Favorite Outfits

This week we've been incredibly busy and I share a daily outfit pic over on Instagram but figured I'd highlight my favorites from this week as people have been asking where to snag some of the pieces! 

We took family photos this week with my good friend, Jamie Morel, and I decided to wear a pop of color. Just a little out of my comfort zone but worth it. I forget how happy this dress makes me. And while it's a few years old, Zara seems to make classic yet trendy pieces that can stand the test of time!

Zara dress / Sam Edelman heels / JCrew necklace / Stella & Dot earrings 

When we hit up Fair Weather Acres this week, we had a little bit of a preppy feel going on I think. Ha! Would you agree?! These jeans I L-I-V-E in and cannot get enough of them. The interior waistband is elastic. Mom dream right there! And it was a bit chilly so I was finally able to bust out my favorite JCrew plaid scarf cape!

JCrew striped tee / JCrew plaid scarf / Wit and Wisdom jeans / Cole Haan driving mocs
Janie & Jack vest / Gymboree tee / Gymboree pants / Target shoes 

Do you ever find a piece of clothing in your closet that you totally forgot about and as soon as you put in on you ask yourself why you never wear it?! That is THIS piece for me. It's forever old from Ann Taylor but the belt sash adds a little something extra. Paired with white jeans and my Tory flats it's simple and classic for our family brunch date! And how fun are these VivianDrew earrings?!

White jeans / Navy top / Tory flats / Earrings 

When your two-year-old is becoming good at taking pictures, you let him snap pictures of you! We were out and about running errands and he snapped this one of me in my new favorite Stella & Dot top! How fun are the sleeve details?!

When you have a friend who lives 90 minutes away but you MUST see her often, you meet up halfway and visit different restaurants for lunch with your sidekick. This week, we went to Terrain in Westport and it is DIVINE. How cute are his crocs?! 

Top / Jeans / Camo flats 

His sweater / His pants / Crocs 

Sometimes I put on an outfit and feel confined and other times I put on an outfit and feel exceptionally comfortable. That is this outfit right here. Running errands in 80 degree heat, hitting up the park, and prepared to get down and dirty with a toddler means a tee and jeans. The American Eagle tomgirl jeans are LIFE. I promise.
And if you want 20% off your own American Eagle jeans, click here. My gift to you!

Tee / Jeans / Sandals 

And lastly, I never have any fun. I swear. I mean, look at my face. I look bored, right?! Ha ha! I got to spend some time this week with some of my Stella & Dot friends at a training and I figured why not be a pop of color in a room of neutrals! 

Cardigan / Blouse / Jeans / Camo flats / Belt 

I think it's safe to say I cover all bases in my "mom wardrobe", right?! I mean, I've got comfy cozy down pat, a pop of color here and there, a dress when needed, but always ready to chase my little guy around while being somewhat stylish with a smile! 

Do you follow me on Instagram? If yes, HI! If not, click here for some fashion, fun, and family! 

Fall Family Fun

Being from Florida and not moving up north until I was in my 20's, I feel as though I have an extra appreciation for the season. And the transition from summer to fall is my favorite. Just chilly enough for a sweater and scarf, the scent of apple cider fills the air, leaves are changing to a variety of different colors, and you can't help but be happy in fall. And if you aren't happy in fall, you're related to the Grinch! Ha ha.

Our early fall tradition has always been to take a weekend and spend the day pumpkin picking, having cider donuts, and enjoying the crisp fall air. We have always gone to Jones Farm in years past, but this year, with a rambunctious toddler, we decided to try somewhere new and somewhere we've always wanted to visit. Fair Weather Acres.

People. You know where this is. Every fall when you drive down I-91 you see it. It takes up ACRES on the side of the highway. My husband and I are always wondering what it is yet never take the time to venture there. Until this weekend. Holy wonderfulness. I cannot believe we've been missing out this entire time we've lived here!

I hope the little snippits into our day give you an idea of how incredible this place it!

There's SO much to do here! You take a hay ride to get from the parking lot and entrance to the back side of the entire 'fall festival'. It's $19 per adult to get in (apparently it's half price on Fridays after 2:00 so we're going back then!) and kids 2 and under are free. You get a hand stamp, can stay as long as you want, and it includes any pumpkin of your choosing. Yep, even giant ones!

Everything is in a relatively open field and areas are clearly marked. The staff is very friendly and incredibly helpful, especially for us first-timers who probably looked a bit overwhelmed!

The reason we went. For this little one to get to do THIS.

Have you ever seen such an incredible sight?! Not just the fact it was empty (this was 2 minutes after they opened, within 10 minutes there were a good 50 kids in it!) but a giant corn pit with a massive playscape inside of it?!

If you didn't think it was fun, here's proof. Both for the actual young and young at heart.

With tons of activities and games and things to do, it's a great place to go for a family day. With big kids or young,  it's a great time to had by all!

I mean is this not the cutest little train you've ever seen?!

OK. This made me a little nervous but the kids had a BLAST on it. It's a massive bounce pad, built into the ground, surrounded so they can roll off if need be. Which, for our little guy, was needed. They are VERY smart and have a height limit (I believe its 52") and they spilt the kids into two size groups. Then, they do waves and have the kids take turns. It's about a 3-5 minute period of jumping, which i sample time, and then they swap out for the other size group. I wish you could be bigger and adults could jump!

Why is it in a giant pumpkin patch filled with ALL sizes of pumpkins he decides that the BIG one is the one he wants?!

The corn maze. There's clues scattered around for older kids and even a map for those worried about getting lost. But for a toddler, it's ample room to run!

I am SO glad we finally decided to try this place out and I can't imagine not having this be a yearly tradition for us. Fair Weather Acres did NOT disappoint. We spent two hours there and could've easily spent another two hours there too. Have you ever been?!

Looking for more Fall posts? Check out my favorite Connecticut Blogger Babes below! We've linked up for an October Blog Hop. Want to participate too? Add your link!

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