Take a walk on the wild side at the Detroit Zoo. Now IS the perfect time to go on a family field trip! Perfect for all ages- stroll the babies and let those toddlers toddle- there's plenty of room for them to explore. 

Filled with over 3,000+ animals- there's a chance for everyone to catch a glimpse of their favorite at the Detroit Zoo. Kids will love petting a "real" giraffe skin (it is real, but not actually on the giraffe) seeing the polar bears in their icy abode and watching the otters and their shenanigans. 

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The Greatest Show on Earth is tonight! The Perseids Meteor Shower is a spectacular cosmic event, which occurs yearly every August 12th. Starting at the age of 7, my dad would wake my sister & I up around 2 in the a.m. to watch the stars fall from the sky. One year, I saw 212 stars- that's a lot of wishes.

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So last year the kitty-kats and I were rolling through town. We came upon an apocalyptic scene in downtown Detroit- no jokes. Anyway- I shot some photos while the Chinatown scene was getting obliterated. 

Then we all participated in the Google launch of the Field Trip app. (yes- I took a true-blue leaving babyhood entering toddlership child + my other daughter  as my partners in crime to this event & we had an awesome time!)  It was a fun adventure in itself- a scavenger hunt, hosted by D:Hive + Google, and we came upon a different scene- the overturned bus. It was pretty cool. 

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Once upon a time, we made the modern version of botanical easter eggs using regular dyes. Today we bring you the real deal for your egg-dyeing enjoyment.

My daughter asked my gma if we could dye eggs using her traditional onion peel and plant clipping method. So, without further ado, here is the process that will yield shiny brown eggs with a unique design.

Instructions + play-by-play pics below. Just click on Read More                ↓↓↓

So ya wanna be hardcore? Go to Hamtramck for your paczki.

The Hamtramck paczki scene is one from which legends are born. Detroiters stand in line with their salted boots, bundled up with scarves and mittens, as television crews interview those waiting their turn to order their Polish treat. It is the heavyweight championship of the world- Hamtramck style, where only the hardcore survi- I mean- eat paczki. 

Those [two] boxes of paczki from the grocery store I paraded on instagram were only a countdown to the main event, a 'warm-up,' if you will. So this morning, everyone bundled up and we hit Hamtramck. 

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One of my greatest dreams has been to spend an evening at an ice castle.

While driving around Colorado I discovered a postcard in some town I was exploring. It had a drawing of an ice castle on it, with a horse-drawn sleigh in the foreground. The problem was- the ice castle was built in 1887, and had melted that same year.

My love of ice castles has only grown deeper since then, seeping into the everyday life of those who aren't nearly as impressed with the subject  as I am. I make everyone watch documentaries about the "construction of an ice hotel." Repeatedly. 

No one ever wants to go with me on my expeditions. They are usually very specific and not popular with the crowd. [for example: a trip to New Mexico to recreate Ansel Adams' Moonrise over Hernandez. Yes- I totally did it. By myself. [And got yelled at by a guy with a shotgun- story some other time]  

This icy adventure to Quebec was no exception- nobody wanted to go. Except- guess what? Now I found that I could actually force someone to accompany me on my adventures- because now I had a child. How awesome is that! I was smart enough to leave the baby with my mom. 

So- yes. I brought a kindergartner with me to sleep on a block of ice.  To say it was cold would be the understatement of the century. My dream of sleeping in an ice castle had come true! But I really began questioning how this had ever made its way to the top of the list. 

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Ta-da! The punk from Punxsutawney saw his shadow this morning. Where does that leave us? With six more weeks of Winter, of course. This should come as no surprise since March 20 is the actual first day of spring, so really- it's going to be almost seven more weeks until spring. It's the same every year. I still love Punxsutawney Phil  + his taciturn predictions. 

An idyllic little hamlet surrounded by a bustling cosmopolitan area, the new 'Village Playscape' at Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village is truly a place that parents will love to take their kids. 

The playground is bustling with activities and innovation. This unique playscape features structures that both children AND their parents will want to visit again and again. After the grand opening, we went a few times a week- which still left the kids begging to go more! 

The reason it manages to hold their interest is variety and ingenuity. Kids can explore a ton of different features- there are things to climb, spin, slide down and  crawl through. All of this can be done while tapping into their imaginations. 

All ages can get in on the action at this playscape. The variety of options makes it a great place that everyone will enjoy- even for families who are rolling with a crew of different age groups. Kids can engage with others and use teamwork to make some of the pieces even more exciting. Children run around with abandon as they dart from one feature to the next.

Man the controls of the realistic excavation equipment- where kids can oversee a vast construction zone filled with sand. Let them build cities and sandcastles 'til their hearts content, toddlers can have fun throwing it, while the babies- let's be real- will probably eat it.

Children will challenge their minds and bodies as they discover different ways to approach the variety of structures.  There is a climbing wall and a rope net. All ages were repped. Older kids were crawling up it at top speeds, and even my toddler loved it. Managing to climb a few times, it was awesome to watch her try, get frustrated, then come back to it again later. After some false starts- she made it to the top on her own, and felt proud she accomplished it by herself. It was a great learning experience for us both. 

Ladders and spinning mechanisms abound, and there are swings, slides and a rocking platform. I witnessed a  teeter totter that causes both kids and adults to laugh unabashedly. It was almost too much fun. A revolving balance beam of sorts tests both coordination and teamwork, as the circular device spins and shifts at different rates. Kids propel it into gear and can even control its direction.

For times when the weather is sweltering, actually-anytime is the right time for little ones looking to get wet: there are water features! A time-machine looking structure sprays water when you push a button. Or try the old-fashioned water pump that allows streams to flow down a copper incline.

Dare I say even teenagers will find something interesting to check out. But they will keep it on the DL, because, you know- they can't let it leak that they actually had a good time!

Michigan Recreational Construction was the company behind the fabrication of this playscape. They did a spectacular job on this project. We watched them work on the area for months, transforming the empty space into an oasis of fun. They were always willing to answer questions the kids had and keep us posted on the evolving grand opening date. 

Save some time before you return home to ride the carousel, which is conveniently located in a pavilion directly next to the playscape. 

Santa Claus is coming to town, which means the Wayne County Lightfest is in full swing! Take a journey down Hines Drive and peer out the windows of your car as you pass by holiday-themed decorations depicting snowmen, reindeer and larger-than-life toys. The four-mile drive features over 45 scenes in a dazzling array of colors. 

This spectacular seasonal route offers children and adults a great opportunity to create a family tradition. Turn on the heat full blast, listen to some Christmas classics and create memories that will last long after the ornaments are boxed up and placed back in the attic. For some added enjoyment, celebrate at home with hot chocolate, marshmallows and a candy cane, or a batch of favorite cookies!