Yearly Archives: 2009

Saturday is Sweetest Day

When I first came to live in Chicago, I had no idea what Sweetest Day was.  A quick Google search enlightened me.  Sweetest Day is basically Valentine’s Day in October.   Apparently Sweetest Day was the brainchild of candy makers attempting to convince people there are health benefits to eating candy and chocolate everyday! Hmmmmm, or should I say YUM…but don’t let your host children hear that!

The most typical way to celebrate Sweetest Day is to exchange romantic gifts with a loved one, though families and friends may give flowers, fruit bouquets, chocolates, and cute e-cards.

Whatever you do to celebrate, Sweetest Day is a great way to brighten a dreary October day.

A Fall Family Tradition…

Seeing that I live right in the city, 20 floors above Michigan Avenue, going to a pumpkin patch every fall is a big deal to my 4 1/2 year old.  We drove by a vacant lot selling pumpkins on North Avenue on Saturday, which of course started the questions-“Mommy, when are we going to pick punkins (sic)?  Can I get a reaaally big one?”

So, here are three pumpkin farms that friends have recommended to me: Bengston’s Pumpkin Fest in Homer Glen; Goebbert’s Pumpkin Farm in Barrington; and Johansen’s Farms in Bolingbrook.

I have no financial interest in any of these farms, nor have I visited any of them.  But would love your input. 

What is your favorite local Pumpkin Patch?

The Disney Trip

For the past five years Chicago community counselors Sandee and Kathy have been taking au pairs for a whirlwind tour of Disney.  Between them they have been to Disney World over 50 times and plan the trip so the au pirs can see ALL four Disney Parks in three days.

Au pairs from Chicago had a wonderful time at the Magic Kingdom, and all the Disney parks
Au pairs from Chicago had a wonderful time at the Magic Kingdom, and all the Disney parks

The World Series

You may think of baseball as a summer sport, but the Major League Baseball post-season has just begun.  There hasn’t been much talk about the World Series in Chicago, probably because we don’t have a team in the playoffs.  Nevertheless its time to Play Ball!  If you are not familiar with the rules of baseball, you can learn them here http://aupairinamerica.com/resources/life_in_the_us/baseball.asp

In my opinion, all you really need to know is what to do during the seventh inning stretch. Between the halves of the seventh inning of any game the fans all stand up to stretch, get last minute snacks and SING.  Yes, they sing  “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”.  Here in Chicago the late Harry Caray regularly led the crowd in a rousing rendition of the song, originally written by Jack Norworth.

“Take me out to the ball game; take me out with the crowd.  Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack, I don’t care if I never get back, Let me root, root, root for the CUBBIES, if they don’t win it’s a shame.  For its one, two, three strikes, you’re out, at the old ball game.”

So, au pairs, get some peanuts and Cracker Jacks and take part in a great American tradition!

Original Version of Take Me Out to the Ball Game

“Take me out to the ball game, take me out with the crowd.  Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack, I don’t care if I never get back,
Let me root, root, root for the home team, if they don’t win it’s a shame.  For its one, two, three strikes, you’re out, at the old ball game.”

Fire Safety Week

This is Fire Safety Week.  Right on cue, my pre-school aged daughter came home talking about the fire drill at school.  She is not a fan of loud noises so became teary eyed as the story progressed.     To ease her fears we talked  about what to do in case of an emergency, practiced slithering along the floor and touching the doorknobs to see if they were hot.  It brought me back to when my family did this when we were younger.  I especially remember the year my brother, no stranger to the ER at age five, was in kindergarten.  After we talked about how we’d go out the back door he wandered off, his attention diverted by who knows what.   Well, he actually went out his escape route—right out his second floor bedroom window!  He was unharmed, which he credited with the pillow he threw out first–to break his fall.    When I spoke to him today and reminded him about it, almost thirty years later, he still maintains he planned it that way-the pillow was perfectly placed so he wouldn’t get hurt.   A little planning is a good thing it seems…