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The Illinois State Museum is launching a fun new program to encourage families to visit often this summer. Children are invited to travel to the tropical seas of 300 million years ago, an 800 year-old American Indian village, a 1950s rec room, and more. Starting Memorial Day (Monday, May 27), children can receive a Museum Passport to guide them in their Museum adventures.
Every two weeks, a new passport search activity (recommended for elementary-school aged children) will be available. Each search will explore a different Illinois State Museum exhibition. The first one will feature Changes: Dynamic Illinois Environments, the Museum’s natural history hall.
Upon completion of a passport search activity, participants will receive a “stamp” for their passport and an entry in a drawing for a $10 gift certificate to the Museum Store. Drawings will be held every two weeks throughout the summer (one entry per two-week period per child).
The Illinois State Museum is dedicated to inspiring people of all ages to discover and care about Illinois’ natural and cultural resources and artistic heritage. The Museum’s extensive collections and research activities provide the foundation for exhibitions and public programs that tell the story of the land, life, people, and art of Illinois. The Illinois State Museum is located at 502 S. Spring Street (the corner of Spring and Edwards Streets) in Springfield, and is open 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, noon to 5:00 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free. Parking is available nearby, and the building is ADA accessible.
If you've never taken a train trip, consider contributor John Stearns' take in his Dad's Eye View post here. John doesn't like to give up the car keys, but over spring break, he lived dangerously! Read on here:
"Last year, for the kids’ spring break, we took a trip to Walt Disney World, a trip that was planned and booked nine days before we left. That trip went amazingly well, but we decided a mini-trip to Chicago would be our spring break trip this year.
I’ve never taken the Amtrak train anywhere. I either drive or fly. It’s not that I don’t like the train, but I’ve just never had the occasion or even the inclination to take the train. I’ve never thought about it. Plus, I like having my car available to me. It’s just a thing- I don’t want to have to rely on other means to get me where I need to be.
Since neither of the boys had ever ridden the train, we decided that we would take the train up to Chicago, stay downtown for a couple of days, hit Shedd Aquarium, the Field Museum, the Adler Planetarium, and then come home.
I didn’t really know what to expect. We got to the train station Tuesday morning, checked in, and simply sat and waited for it to arrive. No lines, no security scanners, no x-rays, no being violated by TSA agents.
Train travel 1, air travel 0.
Oh – and circumventing O’Hare entirely? Make that train travel 2, air travel 0. I’ll do darned near anything to keep from having to go to O’Hare. EVER.
The train arrived, and we boarded. It wasn’t horribly crowded, and the seats- they were actually reasonably comfortable! The train had two seats in the space an airplane would have had three. I’m not a huge guy by any means, but my hips typically touch the sides of airplane seats. Not so on a train! And best of all, no seat belts. I know seat belts are vital, life-saving pieces of equipment, but I hate them on planes. Trains don’t even have them.
Trains 3, planes 0.
Ian and I sat together, while Adam and Dawn sat together across the aisle. The train sets off for Chicago, and it was a nice, relaxing ride. I’m a horrible passenger – I drive everywhere we go, simply because I’m such a bad passenger- yet I found riding on the train to be absolutely delightful. We could get up and walk from car to car, and were even encouraged to do so.
Trains 4, planes 0.
One more thing: round-trip tickets for four by train to Chicago and back to Springfield? $120. I don’t care where we would have wanted to fly – there’s no way we could have come anywhere near that price on airfare for one of us, let alone all four of us.
Trains 5, planes 0.
After making stops in Lincoln, Bloomington, Pontiac, Dwight and Joliet, we arrived into Union Station in Chicago and caught a cab (a first for me and the boys) and were rushed, quite literally, to our hotel on the Magnificent Mile. We were within walking distance of everything we wanted to see. We didn’t miss the car at all.
I have made an executive decision that, unless I absolutely have to have the car for a specific reason or if I’m going to a far-away (from Union Station) suburb, I will take the train to Chicago from now on. Heck, even if I am going to a far-away suburb, I will still check to see if there is a reasonable way to take the train and then a cab or an El or something (Chicago Transit System). Chicago is SO vehicle-unfriendly that it is far more advantageous to take the train whenever possible. You don’t have to deal with parking, you save the gas, and someone else deals with the spaghetti bowl chock full of nut-jobs that comprises the Chicago traffic.
Whether for business or pleasure, my entire family and I wholeheartedly recommend the train for a trip to Chicago from here in Springfield. Save the gas money, save the flight hassles. I’m even thinking about looking into taking the train to two of our favorite family-trip destinations, St. Louis and Indianapolis, and perhaps even destinations further away. I had a great time in Chicago, but this particular trip truly was more about the journey than the destination."
John Stearns is a stay-home dad living in Springfield with his wife and two boys. Living the dream, one grey hair at a time.
(DISCLAIMER: This author not affiliated with Amtrak or any of its connecting stations. This article is not a paid endorsement, but merely a testimonial from an extremely satisfied Amtrak customer. However, if someone from Amtrak is reading this, and is willing to work out some sort of deal, I can be bought.)
Golfers are invited to form teams for the annual charity golf scramble in June benefiting the Camp COCO Children’s Cancer Fund at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. A shotgun start will begin the game at 12:30 p.m. Friday, June 28, at The Rail Golf Course, 1400 S. Club House Dr., Springfield. H. D. Smith Foundation is the presenting sponsor and Bunn is the premier sponsor of the four-person scramble.
The COCO Children’s Cancer Fund supports the Camp and other projects for young patients. Now in its 28th year, Camp COCO is a summer camp sponsored by SIU Department of Pediatrics where kids with cancer and blood disorders and their siblings can spend a week enjoying typical camping activities.
Camp COCO, which stands for Children’s Oncology Camp Organization, is totally supported by donations so that families do not have to pay to send a child to the medically supervised camp. The campers receive special attention from SIU’s pediatric staff and health professionals as well as various community volunteers. An estimated 140 downstate Illinois children are expected to attend Camp COCO this summer at a cost of $700 per child, which is provided by generous donations.
This year’s camp will be held July 7 – 12 at Timber Pointe Outdoor Conference Center on Lake Bloomington. The first Camp COCO was held in 1986 for 40 pediatric patients and their siblings.
Send checks for the scramble or sponsorships, payable to either Camp COCO or SIU Foundation, to the SIU Foundation, P.O. Box 19666, Springfield, IL 62794-9666. Or call the office at 217-545-2955 or 1-877-435-7666 (toll free) weekdays for information.
Golf Outing Details: The entry fee of $150 per player includes greens fees, golf cart, lunch by McCormicks Smokehouse Restaurant, dinner by Roberts Seafood Market, on-course beverages and prizes. The dinner features a silent auction. Sponsorships at various levels of support, including golf carts dedicated in honor or memory of a family member or friend, also are available. Registrations postmarked by mail or received electronically by June 7 will be entered into a special prize drawing.
Registrations are due Monday, June 24, and can be faxed to 217-545-1913. Registration can be completed online at www.cocogolf.org.
Thanks to Springfield Moms contributor Amy Peterson for inspiring us to move our kids to the next step of self-sufficiency – doing the laundry! Amy writes: "If you have kids, you know that the laundry does not stop coming … ever. Getting organized in the laundry department (especially as summer approaches) should be a top priority!"
If you have kids who are 12 and older, give them a gift this year! Their very own laundry basket. I have taught both of my boys (currently 15 & 12) to do their own laundry. It takes a little effort at first – but the pay off is well worth it. I have tried to explain the concept of sorting to my boys – but they seem to prefer to jam as much as possible in the wash to save time. However, my oldest learned the hard way when he washed his red jacket with his whites & ended up with several pink shirts.
I was really excited when this year I found an inexpensive fabric laundry organizer for their rooms. It says "Lights" and "Darks" on it. This has helped them manage their laundry a lot better.
All of my kids fold their laundry and put it away. I think any child over the age of four can easily do this (with some instruction and assistance). When my kids were younger, I had labels with pictures on baskets for socks, underwear etc. so they could put items away in the right place (I love to use clip art). As a result, they all seem to keep their closets really neat and organized.
Now for the laundry room itself – whether you have a gorgeous laundry room or a washer and dryer in an old dungeon like myself – you need to be organized. If you check out my Pinterest page, you can see tons of photos of shelves & racks that hold laundry baskets. There are lots of options out there to meet the needs of every family.
I have a cabinet with my supplies. I have an inexpensive 3 bin sorter for "whites," "lights" and "darks." I have 2 baskets on the shelf my husband built designated for "linens" and "reds." My children, up until age 12, bring their laundry downstairs and sort into the appropriate bins. I usually do a load of laundry based on which bin is the fullest! I used to try to do laundry on certain days but that did not work due to my sporadic schedule. Someone who has the same work schedule etc. each week might be able to stick with a set laundry schedule.
So whether you do your own laundry on a certain day – have your children do their own laundry or are trying to figure out how to get out from underneath all the dirty laundry – there are tons of options!
Submitted by Springfield Moms reader and professional organizer Amy Peterson who is mother of three and co-owner of The Closet Guy, Inc. with husband Brooke Peterson.
Growing up in Springfield, the Old Capitol Art Fair is a tradition I have enjoyed locally since I was a child. Be sure to block some time this weekend to enjoy this with your family.
Don't miss the tradition of the Children's Art & Activity Tent where children through high school age can choose from art priced at $4-$6. It's fun to see what your children appreciate the most as they browse the art selections with a volunteer (parents wait outside 
! There will also be interactive free mural community project, food, entertainment and of course a wonderful selection of art from more than 150 artists, including 30 new artists.
Located on the state-owned Old State Capitol grounds in downtown Springfield, and the surrounding streets and sidewalks, enjoy this wonderful tradition!
It's a party this Wednesday morning as the Old Capitol Farmers' Market returns to Adams street (between 5th and 2nd streets) in downtown Springfield starting at 8:00 a.m.
Not only will you be able to shop produce, cheese, baked goods, plants, meats and other specialty items from area farmers and local vendors, but there will be complimentary cake from Incredibly Delicious (get there early!), music and more!
There are also new vendors west of the railroad tracks this summer as well as a Local Artisan Market every Saturday and "Super Saturdays" on the 3rd Saturday of each month with local artisans, celebrity chef demonstrations and live entertainment starting May 18th.
Don't miss it!
Vendors will accept credit, debit and LINK cards as well.
Special thanks to sponsor St. John's Hospital.
Leave a bag of non-perishable food items by your mail box on Saturday, May 11th, and your letter carrier will bring your donation to the Central Illinois Foodbank!
The "Stamp Out Hunger" National Food Drive is the country’s largest one-day food-collection effort. Last year, more than 70 million pounds of non-perishable food donations were picked up, which brought our grand total from more than two decades of collections to 1.2 billion pounds.
“On the second Saturday of May each year, thousands of letter carriers step forward and join our co-workers, family members, friends and community partners to pick up those all-important and often heavy sacks of donated non-perishable food items left by mailboxes,” NALC President Fredric Rolando said. “To get us there takes the dedication of hundreds of branch food drive coordinators, who have spent the last few months ordering and mailing countless customer-reminder postcards, putting up food drive flyers and posters, and so much more—often after spending the day delivering the mail.”
Thanks to Springfield Moms contributor Sarah Chandler for sharing this project that will touch grandma's heart.
Flour Sack Towel Sewing Project
Passing along traditions seems to be a requirement in my family. Sewing is one of those traditions that has remained strong for 4 generations in my lifetime and is now going on to a 5th—to my daughter. While we use our sewing skills to mend clothing and make practical household items, creating homemade gifts is where we really have found joy. With Pinterest on the rise and Mother’s Day approaching, I‘m sure many of you can appreciate this homemade gift idea: Embroidered Flour Sack Towels. Don’t let the name scare you off as it is a great sewing project for beginners young and old. It is also a friendly way to become familiar with a needle and thread as the needle you use is big and the area you sew is not precise. But first let me define a couple of terms:
Supply List
* 1 Flour Sack Towel
* 1 Embroidery Needle (Can be purchased at JoAnn Fabrics in a pack of 6 for around $1.75)
* Embroidery Thread or Floss(Can be purchased in the same aisle as the needles for around $1 per color)
* Washable pencil
* Small Embroidery Hoop (To keep the fabric snug while you’re sewing)
* Scissors
The easiest way to start is by choosing your design. My 5-year-old daughter wanted to sew a flower so I drew a super basic one on her towel. Think child-like drawing. I threaded the needle with a piece of embroidery thread about 24 inches long, not too long that she would get tangled in it, but not too short that she would need another one threaded again really soon. I tied a knot in the end and then put the hoop on the fabric. I showed her how to sew up and down through the fabric. While her stitches started out far apart, she was able to follow the lines of the design all the way around and in no time had her first petal made. I’m excited to see where her sewing career goes from here.
This particular towel is heading out to Vancouver, WA to her Grandma Chandler for Mother’s Day as she loves to receive gifts that her grandchildren make for her. Plus, anytime Grandma dries her hands or mops up the kitchen counter, she can think of Anne.
Springfield Moms contributor Sarah Chandler is a Springfield native, wife to Jeff, and mom to Levi and Anne. She loves to be outdoors during all seasons and enjoys relaxing indoors by creating quilts and scrapbooking.
One of my favorite pictures during Vanessa's treatment; her big sister Amanda spent the day with her to get a better understanding of her typical treatment day. Sisterly love is lifelong indeed.
I hope you will consider supporting Rad 4 Kids! I've set an ambitious fundraising goal as so many of our reader families (including mine) have received the quality and loving care from our local Children's Miracle Network (CMN) Hospital, St. John's Children's Hospital. ANY contribution will help $5, $10…whatever you feel comfortable giving, and ALL donations are tax deductible and stay LOCAL.
CMN helps so many kids get the specialized care they need close to home with the support of their friends and family. My daughter Vanessa has experienced their care firsthand the past 6 years. Her favorite things at SJCH are the doctors, nurses, child life specialists, 24-hour room service, dog therapy, music therapy, the "Josh" dog and the beautiful healing garden.
Donating online is safe and easy click here. If you'd prefer to write a check, contact Kim on where to mail it!
Thanks in advance for anything you can to do help! The top 4 fundraisers will be transformed into RADICAL 80's women, and as a class of 1989 teen, I would be so proud to take a step back in time to honor our CMN hospital and all of the staff that are here for us whenever we need them!
Yes, the weather is calling for rain for three days straight. So games will be cancelled – the manic May schedule might slow down or come to a halt. Unfortunately, your kids aren't going to subscribe to your "Let's take a nap for the entire weekend" plan.
So, we have some ideas for you so that you can maintain your sanity this weekend.
Hang in there! The sun will come out sometime next week … we hope!
