spring is here (with oxo tot)

on a nice day in the city, you will find this one glued to his scooter.

there is an elevated trail near our house called the [606]

every morning lincoln begs to go on the "66"

for being only two and a half years old, this kid flies. 

little bro is always down to tag along. 

he watches his big brother, who is happily in charge of getting diapers and wipes when needed. 

oxo tot makes it easy with their new [on the go wipes dispenser with diaper pouch]

stores a bunch of wipes and 5 diapers.

 

 rubber strap makes it easy to hang from a bag or stroller. 

 only his "favorite ones" go in his bag. 

[flippy snack cup]

[straw cup]

packed and ready to ride, with no worries about spillage.

on a nice day in the city, you will find this one taking a nap in the fresh air.

thanks to oxo tot for providing us with their:

 

 [on the go wipes dispenser with diaper pouch]

[flippy snack cup with travel cover]

[straw cup 7oz] 

not pictured: [cleaning set for straw and sippy cups]

summer in chicago - splash pads (humboldt park, logan square, wicker park neighborhoods)

a favortie thing to do in the city, on the hot summer days with little ones, is splash pading.
here is a little guide to the splash pads in humboldt park/ logan square / wicker park / west town neighborhoods

[Humboldt Park:]
1400 n. sacramento ave
a favorite of mine, mostly because its so close to us, but also because its right by the humboldt lagoon, which has duck families and nice scenery. this playground has swings, slides, bridges, tire swing, and a bonus.. a splash pad. giant blue ring of water. pretty sure this playground is getting a facelift, but until then, we like it just fine!

[Unity Park:]
2636 n kimball ave

unity park has a great playground, and a splash pad area. this water area is lifeguarded, and you have to have a swim diaper to enter. 

(i took these photos last summer, and finally getting around to organizing. lincoln is a tiny bald man.)

[Haas Park:]

2402 w washtenaw ave

no mulch here, this park is great for crawlers! there is a playground for little legs. kids and run under the water for a quick cool off and back to the slide. slip and slide.

[Holstein Park:]
2200 n oakley ave
playground, spray feature, mini baby pool and big pool. this park has it all!

[Pulaski Park:]

1419 w blackhawk st
this takes the cake for "splash pad." slide, tunnel, tire swing; all within a shallow pool area. right next to a regular sized pool.

[Wicker Park:]

1425 n damen ave

a small but fun bear squirting water feature, with a great playgound and you can grab a taco at [big star's] to- go window.

a new year & a peek back at 2014

not sure that i have a specific "new years resolution".. of course i could improve things about my body, about my finances, etc. but this year (2015) i really want to focus on more experiences & adventures. looking back at all our photos, i feel lucky that we did so much last year. the memories and experiences are priceless. i want to be greedy this year. i want more, more, more... 

more sunshine...

more salt water...

more naked butts & sandy toes...

more crunchy fall leaves...

more horseplay...

more fresh food...

more messy kitchens & coffee...

way more smooches...

more stick collecting...

more traveling...

more dirty toes...

more nature naps...

more spash parks...

& definitely more city exploring...

good-bye 2014 - we truly had a wonderful year. can't wait to see what 2015 has in store!

word on the street / teebs & dion banks

i love being connected to the arts, even though it can sometimes feel like i am no longer a part of that word, since being out of art school. but getting to design flyers for shows and going to art openings, meeting the artist with lincoln is great. thanks to my boyfriend and what he does with [pawn works] i can sneak back into the art world every so often. i feel lucky that my son can be a part of this world that his parents are pretty passionate about.

12/ 13/ 14 - was a fun night. this exhibit was shown at [thalia hall's] new bar, the tack room, and this was the first night the bar was even open to the public. the art show was one night only.. but you can still purchase the work through [pawn works store]

[one of my favorites from teebs]

[the after party that lincoln did not attend]

behind the scene - holiday photoshoot

so we don't have the funds for a professional photographer.. especially because i'm technically a professional photographer who doesn't know how to promote herself. anyways.. we had fun and used a tripod and self timer. i think i love the outtakes more than the final one. but here we are, at our park, being us..