A Little Time and a Keyboard: Local
Showing posts with label Local. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Local. Show all posts

Swiss Maid Fudge in Wisconsin Dells

Thursday, November 16, 2017

Swiss Maid Fudge Old Fashioned Confectionery in Wisconsin Dells

Swiss Maid Fudge needs to be a must stop on your next visit to Wisconsin Dells! As you can imagine, Swiss Maid Fudge is a BIG candy jar full of every type of confection you can think of. Truffles, brittle, popcorn, caramels, marshmallows, nuts, taffy,  fudge and much more can be found!

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"F" Is For Finally: An A To Z Story Of The 2016 Cubs Postseason by Robert George

Friday, October 13, 2017

"F" Is For Finally: An A To Z Story Of The 2016 Cubs Postseason

"F" Is For Finally: An A To Z Story Of The 2016 Cubs Postseason by local author Robert George voices the love and elation fans experienced as the Cubs broke their "curse" and triumphed during the 2016 postseason. Children will enjoy learning the alphabet while simultaneously learning about the winning team. The delightful rhythm keeps children and adults alike reading in anticipation just like fans watching games during the postseason.

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Rack House Kitchen & Tavern in Arlington Heights

Monday, March 6, 2017


Meals and salads at the Rack House Kitchen and Tavern in Arlington Heights, IL

This past weekend we visited Rack House Kitchen & Tavern in Arlington Heights for the second time. We enjoyed the Rack House on our first visit and I am happy to report that we lenjoyed it on our second visit as well. The Rack House has a comfortable cabin-like atmosphere with a dining room and bar. So, a fun place with the kids for lunch or dinner and a place for a drink for the adults in the evening. The menu features BBQ and smokehouse delights but in general is pretty expansive and has quite a few other selections. On our first visit, we tried a couple of the salads:

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Use Morton Arboretum's New App to Explore in New Ways & a Giveaway to Celebrate! {4/23}

Thursday, April 10, 2014

A little serenity at Morton Arboretum
**Disclosure: We received passes to The Morton Arboretum to reward to one winner. No compensation was received. All opinions are 100% our own.

Birds are singing, squirrels are scurrying about, plants are awakening from hibernation and temperatures are creeping up. All of this points to one thing---time to get out of the house! One of my favorite places to explore and celebrate nature is The Morton Arboretum in Lisle. Over the years our appreciation for The Morton Arboretum has grown quite literally with our daughter. It all started with our initial discovery of the Children's Garden years ago. The Children's Garden magically incorporates learning and exploring nature with activities that capture childhood fun! As my daughter grew, we started attending events like the Chocolate Expo and Theater Hikes. She also likes a good hike herself, so we have been able to hike further out into the Arboretum, appreciating the Arboretum's vast array of trees, plants and creatures. The Morton Arboretum is lovely in every season and it is wonderful to have this huge backyard right in our backyard!

In the summer, The Morton Arboretum is always teeming with butterflies!
A new app uncovers the treasures of The Morton Arboretum 

As you can see, The Morton Arboretum is one of those places that we love to escape to time and time again. However, it is pretty vast and, as we have learned, there is always something that remains to be uncovered. The Morton Arboretum recently launched an app to help visitors--both old and new--get more out of their visits. The app includes different hiking options with something sure to tempt all. The trail options include lengths as well as expected durations so that you can easily weigh which one works for you. Each hike highlights different gardens, trees, animals and activities throughout the Arboretum. I am particularly excited about the bird walk because we have been focusing on bird identification lately. Of particular interest to parents and grandparents will be the Fun for Kids walk which highlights all the fun and interactive areas designed to help children learn about nature. As you complete your walks, you can read interesting snippets about each stop and check off each destination when you arrive. Below are a couple of screen shots of the app:




The app is helpful and easy!

Besides the hikes, the app has other functions that will add to your visit. The app also provides a way that members can have their card tied to their phone--thus eliminating the necessity of remembering your card (as long as you have your phone). Plus, there is a section for you to read all of the current news about events and more. You can also authorize notifications about new announcements. Additionally, the app includes a map that shows important spots and can be handy when exploring! So convenient!

The new Morton Arboretum app is available for free in the Apple App Store. I downloaded it and found it easy to navigate and it will be quite an asset during our visits to the Arboretum. I am sure that my daughter will love to check off all of the suggested stops on our hikes--like a scavenger hunt!

In celebration of The Morton Arboretum's new app, we are giving away a family four pack of tickets to visit The Morton Arboretum! Thank you so much to The Morton Arboretum for sponsoring this giveaway just in time for families to enjoy spring and summer! The giveaway will run through April 23, 2014 and is open to US residents 18-years-old and older. The winner will be notified via email and will have 48-hours to respond or the prize will be forfeited. Enter below. Good luck!

  a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Celebrating Vermont Craftmanship in Waterbury!

Tuesday, April 1, 2014



On our way to Burlington, Vermont from Portland, Maine, we ambled around the Waterbury, Vermont area. With its picturesque and pristine landscape, it is no wonder that Vermont is the home of so many inspired makers. Lucky for us, many of them are clustered around the Waterbury area. So, in a nice afternoon, we were able to sample a number of Vermont creations.

Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Factory

Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Factory held the coveted top spot on my daughter's to-do list for our vacation. Seeing the delight in my daughter's face during the tour and hearing her stories ever since show that the tour certainly did not disappoint. Tours begin with a video. After the video, you go off to see the factory through viewing windows. You end in the tasting room where you can see where flavors are mixed and tasted. Everyone gets to try a nice size portion of one of the newer flavors. During the tour, you learn a lot about how Ben & Jerry's came about as well as the company's green practices and community initiatives. Tours are $4 per person, free for kids under 12--which is nice. Tours last about 30 minutes so they do not eat up your day.




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