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lifestyle blog sharing diy, family, travel, organization & disney tips

Shelly

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10 Free Family Attractions Around Indianapolis

Indianapolis is an up and coming destination for family travel. Since they hosted Super Bowl XLVI in 2012 there have been dramatic changes all around the city. The city is safer, cleaner and has a ton of new restaurants and attractions. As a Hoosier who has left the city, I am happy to once again call Indy my forever home. The combination of it being walkable, full of family owned restaurants and a great mix of music, sports, history and culture. I’m sharing 10 free family attractions around Indianapolis that I suggest to friends visiting the city.

I am not receiving compensation for any of the attractions on this list. I highly recommend any of them and would encourage you to contact me for any personal insights on these locations. 

10 Free Family Activities Around Indianapolis

1. The Children’s Museum

The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is the largest children’s museum in the world! The museum is free on Christmas Eve, Martin Luther King Jr. Day and El Dia de Los Ninos. They also host First Thursday nights which only cost $5 per person for four hours of fun! If you’re planning ahead, be sure to use their Buy Ahead and Save program online where you’ll be able to see which days are less expensive. This museum is easily a full day experience if not two! Pack a lunch or visit their cafeteria for a yummy lunch.

Childrens Museum Indianapolis

2. Free Summer Concerts

The Philharmonic Orchestra of Indianapolis and Indy Parks present free Pops concerts every June. The concerts include a mix of patriotic songs, jazz, light classical, movie themes and operetta. All concerts begin at 7 pm and parking is free.

In addition, there are free concerts every Wednesday from June through mid-August at City Market. Listen to Bluegrass, Jazz, and Pop music while sampling the food – everything from BBQ to gyros.

Free concerts on the Canal are offered every Thursday, June through mid-August from 5:30-7:30 pm and free lunchtime concerts on the Canal are offered every Wednesday from 11:30 am -1 pm.

Farmers Market Indianapolis

3. Farmer’s Market

Speaking of the City Market, the Original Farmers’ Market takes place May through October with fresh Indiana produce, meats, cheeses, flowers and honey. The market is held every Mon-Fri: 7:00 am – 9:00 pm, Sat: 8:00 am – 9:00 pm, and is closed Sundays.

4. Indianapolis Art Center

Home to many local artists, this space houses eight exhibition spaces, 13 state-of-the-art studios, a 224-seat auditorium, a library, a gift shop, a riverfront deck and stage, and sculpture gardens along the White River. Designed by world-renowned architect Michael Graves.

5. Arts Garden

This glass-enclosed structure attached to Circle Centre Mall hosts more than 300 free activities, including dance performances, storytelling, visual art exhibits, musical performances, films, lectures, readings, fairs, and festivals. The Arts Garden also houses the Cultural Concierge, a centralized source for free maps, ticket information, visitor guides, and directions for Indianapolis arts events. This seven-story-tall glass structure is suspended 17 feet above the intersection of Washington and Illinois Streets. Don’t miss a chance to stroll through. Even if there is no performance, it’s a peaceful spot to rest from a busy day exploring the city and have a picnic.

6. 100 Acres: Art and Nature Park

Pack a picnic and let the kids run while you enjoy the scenery and large-scale quirky art installments. Funky Bones is probably the most famous piece inside the Park. It was featured in the New York Times Bestseller, The Fault in Our Stars, which was later turned into a movie.

 The Cultural Trail of Indianapolis

7. The Cultural Trail

Walk, bike or run the Cultural Trail downtown Indy. The 8-mile $63 million Cultural Trail in downtown Indy connects the city’s Cultural Districts. It’s a great way to explore the city. As a bonus, it’s flanked with $26 million in public art.

8. Soldiers and Sailors Monument

The Soldiers and Sailors Monument is the literal and physical heart of the city. Once designated as the space for the Governor of Indianapolis is now a hub for all the locals and tourists to convene for ice cream, a picnic, a book or a great view.  From the Observation Level, visitors have a 360 degree view of the city skyline from 275 feet up. The Observation Level can be reached by climbing 331 steps (or paying $1 to ride the elevator up). While you’re on ‘The Circle’ check out the Public Collection library/art instillation.

9. Fort Benjamin Harrison State Park

Fort Benjamin Harrison State Park was named for the United States 23rd president who was from Indiana. The trails and playgrounds are second to none. *If you’re interested in history, you should also check out the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site where he and his family lived. $10 for adults and $5 for children.

Indianapolis War Memeorials

10. War Memorials

Indianapolis devotes more acreage than any other U.S. city to honoring our nation’s fallen, and is second only to Washington, DC, in the number of war memorials. The nice thing about Indy is that you’re able to walk to see all of the monuments in one day. Visit Indy has a nice post about several of the memorials. Last summer a friend and I did an Indianapolis scavenger hunt we bought through Groupon and it showcased many of the war memorials I hadn’t seen since I was a child. You can also take a walk around and see how many you can find for free!

11. Garfield Park Conservatory

Garfield Park Conservatory is an honorable mention for number 11 because there is a $2 fee. The conservatory is excellent for kids of all ages (we took ours when she was two and she loved it then and now as a four year old.) The exhibits change so you can have the chance to see different plants at different times. It’s a photographer’s paradise!

Have you had a chance to visit any of these family attractions? Let me know what you love visiting in Indy or if there were any I forgot!

10 Free Family Attractions Around Indianapolis

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5 Tips on Working From Home

Working from home sounds like the dream. I promise it is not as glamorous as one might think. Waking up late, working in your PJs, taking long lunches in town with friends are all a lie. It has taken me a long time to figure out the best schedule and tools to keep me focused. I’m going to share five tips on working from home that have helped me be more successful.

5 Tips on Working From Home

  1. Wake up 30 minutes early.
  2. Get dressed and eat breakfast.
  3. Schedule your day.
  4. Put on your blinders.
  5. Move around.

5 tips on working from home

Wake Up 30 Minutes Early

This tip comes from Mel Robin’s 5 Second Rule approach of being more productive. Starting your day off 30 minutes before you’re needed by your kids, partner, pet or other obligations will give you the time necessary to get in the right mindset to start your day. There are many things you can do during that 30 minutes. Changing things every few days might also be helpful. The Miracle Morning has some great ideas and this graphic on Pinterest has helped me decide some mornings when I was dragging. The number one rule is to not get on your phone for social media or emails and stay away from the news.

Get Dressed and Eat Breakfast

There are always days when you can work in your PJs. For best results, take a shower or at least wash your face before putting new yoga pants on. When you wear actual clothes that make you feel good you sit up straighter and are more productive. Eating breakfast is also important giving your brain fuel to do it’s best. Making a smart breakfast choice and turning that time into a special ritual is a great way to start off on the right foot.

5 tips on working from home

Schedule Your Day

As an entrepreneur you do not have a boss telling you what needs to get done. You make your own calendar and planning ahead is key in making sure your days are most productive. For you, it might be helpful to plan out every hour or to time yourself for a while to see how long it takes you to do certain tasks. After a while you’ll see a pattern of how long it takes to write, plan, photograph, shop, network, pitch, and all the other tasks that come along with owning your own business.

For me, I know that if I start my day with emails, I’ll get bogged down doing other people’s ‘to-do list’. I save emails for the end of the day knowing that I will reply to those most important to me and if some aren’t answered I can leave them for tomorrow. I used to have a big problem with not having a zero inbox but I’ve come to learn that I was a slave to everyone’s requests. They may not have a time limit on the requests so I don’t need to treat them like they’re emergencies.

Put On Your Blinders

When you work at home, it is difficult to separate work and life. I am that person that feels anxious when I see a mess around me. When I first began working from home, 4 years ago, I would use house work as a way to procrastinate. The house and yard to-do list is never ending. When my office is in order I’m able to close my door, open my window, light a candle and just focus on my work, not worried about the dishes from breakfast or the laundry sitting in the hamper.

I’m not saying you can’t throw in a load at breakfast and switch it at lunch but don’t take the time to then put it away and then clean up the kitchen and and and and. If you want to work house work into your schedule you could always take an hour lunch giving yourself a half hour to eat while listening to a podcast and finishing up the podcast with a few chores. I recommend staying away from the TV during work hours. Just don’t do it.

5 tips on working from home

Move Around

Sitting at a desk for long periods is terrible for our bodies. Try batching your work into hour to hour and a half segments so you have the chance to get up and move in between tasks. This can be as simple as standing up to stretch and get more water to doing a 10 min exercise or even taking your dog for a walk. If you take a walk every day that you work from home, I believe you will see improvements in you mental state.

  1. Fresh air is good for your digestive system.
  2. Fresh air helps improve blood pressure and heart rate.
  3. Fresh air makes you happier (Vitamin D = serotonin).
  4. Fresh air strengthens your immune system.
  5. Fresh air cleans your lungs.

Every other Friday I work from a coffee shop just to be around people because as an extrovert, that is how I charge my battery. What are some other tools you use to stay focused while working at home?

All photos are courtesy of the amazing photographers at Upslash.

3 Ways to Get Out of a Funk

3 Ways to Keep Habits

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3 Ways to Get Out of a Funk

I’m seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. I’ve been in a funk for a few months. In November my site was hacked twice and I had morning sickness all day everyday. There was a lot going on with the holidays and an expectation I placed on myself to be happy because Christmas was around the corner. Fast forward through December and January and here I am clearing the cobwebs from a hazy few months. I did not have motivation to write, pitch to brands or plan for the future (all the things that give me excitement). Simply going through the motions of being a ‘good’ Mom, Wife and employee were the best I could do.

Looking back, I wasn’t happy. My hormones are crazier than ever right now as I’m sitting at 18 weeks pregnant. I cry on a daily basis for big things and small, happy and sad. Earlier this week there was another mass shooting and it woke me back up to give voice to the things that I’m passionate about. There are at least 100 terrible things happening per day in our world but this one hit hard. Whether it’s 18 or 6 so far this year in America, even 1 would be too many. I don’t have a solution but it has ignited me to act and talk about finding a solution.

3 ways to get out of a funk

Along with this desire to fight for peace I have enlisted my husband to help fix my site from the hackings. Now that my site is feeling better, I’m feeling better about getting my content back on the web. I’m not going to let life happen to me but take charge in designing my life in accordance to how I want it to be. As usual, with help from people who care about me.

It’s a month and a half after the New Year and I’m seeking a new start. You don’t need to wait for a new year or a Monday for a new start. I’m making a very honored choice to reset and shift my lifestyle to align with my values. You are the only person that can change your life and make it what you want. Some people take huge life changing tactics to get out of their funk and that might be what you need to change. Others take small steps to create a habit that makes a ripple effect to change your lifestyle. For me, starting small and working big is how I’ll start to get back on track with my business, mindset and health. There are three ways I will focus on to get me out of this funk and that I will use in the future.

If you feel like you’ve been complacent in your lifestyle- it’s time to ‘reset’. To take a step back and get a fresh start.

Because sometimes, you have to step away to step forward.

-Jenna Kutcher

Use a planner to achieve goals and get out of a funk

3 Ways to Get Out of a Funk

  • PLAN– My most popular posts are about planning, and I’m realizing now, it’s not just because people are trying to do it better but also because it’s what helps all types of people to accomplish their goals and how they live their lives. I’ve got time carved out tomorrow to work on my blog content calendar which will keep me consistent with being active online. I’m also making sure I’m in more of a routine for my family/life. Routine is what makes me feel calm so making sure we’re consistent with Ninja class and extra circulars on the weekends helps me be balanced.
  • WRITE– The more I write, the more confident and comfortable I’ll be with writing. I have seasons within blogging where I’m on a roll or in a rut. Writing consistently keeps me on a roll. I’m also lumping in reading here. The best writers are constantly reading and so I will focus on not only listening to podcasts during my free time but reading more books. I’m slowing way down on social media and only using it consciously at my desktop in order to have more time for reading.
  • LOVE– I’m constantly preaching self love and making sure to put yourself before your family and friends so you are better able to love them. Taking the RIGHT actions for self-love is also key here. Watching ‘This is Us’ was a terrible way to give myself self love because it was too upsetting. In general, for me, watching shows at night is a bad use of time. It often causes me to be angry or sad right before bed which in turn affects my sleep behavior. I’m not throwing our TV away to accomplish better habits but putting a boundary in place (and telling my family) that I’m interested in watching movies on the weekends but during the week I’ll be writing, reading or playing games with my family before bed. Realizing what kind of self-love works best in caring for your body and mind is something you might have to work on but it will be worth it once you do.

3 ways to get out of a funk using self love

Because I know that everyone is different, I’ve asked some of my tribe how they shift gears and get out of a funk.

Here’s what they had to say:

‘I packed on a massive amount of weight during the six years that I had five children. I tried doing everything at once: adding in exercise, changing diet and eliminating my trouble foods/beverages. I failed on day 2. I recently started by taking on one problem at a time and I’m succeeding. It took me six years to gain this weight and develop bad habits and practices, I can’t expect to lose it all at once and get out of this in one swoop.’
-Katy Mann of Indy with Kids
‘For a quick fix, I tend to escape into a great movie. It’s nice to live in someone else’s world for awhile. If it’s a deeper and lingering issue…I put it on paper, and get to work disecting it. I’m a problem solver by nature, so breaking things down to understand them better is how I shift my mindset.’
-Sierra Holmes of Eclectic Kurves

 

‘When I’m in a funk, I just like to go back to things that inspire me. Luckily, I’m inspired by organization and list-making, so I make that the first thing I do!’
-Brittney Mason of The Pretty Plus

‘Right now for instance, it’s middle of winter, my kids have been home sick with the flu, I’m fighting it off, yet I have a deadline to get a feature documentary out of my edit suite and out the door. After returning home from vacation, the last thing I actually want to do is nose to the grind, but I know I have to. When I’m spinning my wheels, I go to bed, take a walk. Those are temporary fixes. If the funk is of a large proportion, like the one I am in right now, I make a goals list of the things I want to accomplish after this is done. That list is what I am working towards. It gives me an incentive to get to this finish line so I can focus my effort on something that will give me joy.’
-Kathryn Dickson of Kathryn Anywhere
‘When I’m in a funk I like to make a list of things I’m looking forward to or want to accomplish. And if I can’t think of anything I realize it’s time to get something on the calendar. This year I have nothing specific planned for summer so it was messing up my ability to day dream so I got out the map and planned our trip to PA with the kids. We looked up places to visit and stuff to do. Now I’ve got something to look forward to, goals to work toward and activities I’m saving for!’
-Katie Ruvalcaba of Ruvalcademy
‘My go-to way of resetting myself and getting out of a funk is usually a few days of self-care and self-love… that consists of really good hot yoga classes, daily meditations (even just 5 minutes or so), consciously seeking fresh air (walk outside, sit on our screened in porch and read, go to my family’s lake house, etc.). Getting out of a funk is all about flipping your perspective. Taking yourself out of your daily grind and placing yourself back into an environment that fuels you.’
-Greta Snell of The Moon and She‘
Every year I choose a word to focus on. This year it is peace. Past years have included: surrender, beauty, perspective, and gratitude. It’s powerful to see life through that one lens every day for a whole year.’
-Ali Wren of Ali Wren
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Rock Hunting at GeoFest at Indiana State Museum

Now that I’m a Mom I can clearly see why rocks are such treasures. Like my daughter, I would find rocks everywhere and ask my Mom to put them in her purse to bring home and add to my rock collection. I now find rocks in my car, pockets and purse all the time and I know they’re special treasures Sophia has found. Heart rocks are our favorite to collect.

Our family gravitates towards any museum exhibit featuring gems and minerals so we were especially excited to hear that GeoFest was coming to The Indiana State Museum.

The past few years we have been out of town for this event but am happy to have been invited this year by the ISM to check it out! We can’t wait to go rock hunting at The Indiana State Museum.

GeoFest at Indiana State Museum

GeoFest at Indiana State Museum

GeoFest at Indiana State Museum:

  • Open to the public Friday, Feb. 16 and Saturday, Feb. 17 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, Feb 17 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Many special activities will be offered during GeoFest, including the opportunity to build a crystalline structure, make your own jewelry and geode, and participate in GeoFest trivia. Plus, enjoy special demonstrations on fluorescing minerals, naming fossils, and rocks and minerals in everyday life.
  • On Friday, visitors can enjoy a dig pit, learn about Salem microfossils, and create their own stratigraphy model in Rockin’ Through the Layers.On Saturday and Sunday, try your hand at our mastodon puzzle and practice mineral testing during a Get to Know Moh’s demonstration.

Let me know if you’ll be joining us at GeoFest at Indiana State Museum and what you’re most looking forward to. I’m positive Sophia and I will both choose a special rock to remember the day! Perhaps a Jade to symbolize her middle name.

Find more information on The Indiana State Museums website including a list of exhibitors that will be joining this year’s event!

GeoFest at Indiana State Museum

GeoFest at Indiana State Museum(All photos courtesy of Indiana State Museum)

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Preschool Valentines Day Heart Shirt

Remember when we were kids and Valentine’s Day was a big deal in school? A day for making our Valentine’s Day boxes and another day for passing out our cards and having treats! The smell of conversation hearts is still fresh in my mind. Despite schools making less fuss over the holiday, we’re still giving it our all with home made decorations and clothes! We made a simple preschool Valentines Day Heart Shirt just for the occasion.

Preschool Valentines Day Heart Shirt

Preschool Valentines Day Heart Shirt

This shirt is pretty self explanatory but I wanted to share a few tips we learned through our process. My daughter is 4 and has just begun liking paint as a medium. She has made several holiday shirts while visiting her Grandma so I knew she would be interested in using paint for a Valentines Day shirt.

Materials Needed:

(The links above are affiliate links)


Preschool Valentines Day Shirt

Preschool Valentines Day Shirt

Preschool Valentines Day Shirt

The first step was to choose the colors. Sophia is just beginning to learn about color mixing so I chose the paints this time. Choosing colors that were similar that I knew wouldn’t mix to make brown was my goal. I knew she’d want pink so I chose a bright pink, light pink and coral. As long as you choose a few colors in the same family they will blend nicely.

She wanted a heart so I cut a simple template out of card stock colored paper and taped it extra well with painter’s tape. I let her use the clothespins to pick up the cotton balls and choose which paints she dabbed where. This was a good exercise in her motor skills and creating something how she wanted (with some guidelines I’d already put into place.) TIP: Having a cotton ball and clothespin for each color was helpful to keep the colors separated. If she wanted to blend the colors she would just mix them on the shirt rather than on the pallet.

Preschool Valentines Day Heart Shirt

 

Preschool Valentines Day Shirt

The shirt turned out cuter than I thought it would and the best part is how proud she is of her shirt that she made. TIP: Have your child try the shirt on after washing and before painting to make sure it’s a good fit. This shirt is a little big on her but it will get tons of use before next year’s Valentine’s Day!

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Preschool Valentines Day Heart Shirt

Other Valentines Day reads:

Valentines Day Heart Garland

Sweet Kids Valentine’s Day Ideas

 

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