Urgent Care Vs. Emergency Department - Do You Know The Difference?

“Thank you Nationwide Children’s Hospital for sponsoring this post. As always all thoughts and opinions remain my own. ”

A few weeks ago my son fell while running full speed and hit the bottom of his face on a piece of wood, there was blood everywhere, a large gash on his chin, and in that moment I realized I had no idea where we should take him.  The Children’s Urgent Care is 5 minutes from us but what if he needs stitches - is that more of an emergency room visit? Or can we still go to urgent care? I called our pediatrician to ask what I probably already should have known, “Is this trip an urgent care trip or an emergency room visit?”  Since then I’ve learned a few things and I thought I would share them with you, because when your kids are hurt, everything matters. - there’s also a quiz below that you can fill out to test your knowledge on the difference.

My son ended up being seen at the Nationwide Children’s Hilliard Urgent Care and they took great care of him.  I am so thankful we have them so close, and that they are always so happy to help the child in need of care as well as the siblings and parents.  

If you think your child has a life threatening injury or illness always call 911.  If you think someone has been poisoned call poison control at 1-800-222-1222.

Take this quiz to test your knowledge on the difference between an ER visit and an urgent care visit.

Urgent Care

Urgent Care is the place to go when you have an urgent medical need that needs attention but does not require a trip to the Emergency Department.  Urgent Care is also the less expensive option when it comes to the two.

• Allergic reactions (rash)

• Asthma/difficulty breathing

• Small broken bones

• Minor/small burns

• Minor/small cuts

• Fever

• Rashes

• Sore throat

• Vomiting and diarrhea

Emergency Department

Emergency Department has staff of hand to help with stabilize any emergency situation. The Lewis Center Emergency Department is a great option but if your child may need admitted to the hospital or seen by a specialist they may be transferred to Nationwide Children’s Main Campus.

• Allergic reactions (anaphylactic shock)

• Asthma/difficulty breathing/respiratory distress

• Broken bones

• Burns

• Dehydration

• Fever (especially in infants eight weeks of age or younger)

• Seizure

• Severe pain

Take this quiz to test your knowledge on the difference between an ER visit and an urgent care visit.

The Part Time Mama | Mama Monday | 614 Mom

Thank you Betty for sharing your story with us.  Betty is The Single Mom Coach and is passionate about helping single moms feel empowered to live their best lives emotionally, spiritually, and financially.  

Growing up, all I ever wanted was to be a mom.  I was the girl who played with dolls, and planned on having a husband and 4 kids by age 25.  As a child, I was the only one in the house until I was 12 years old; so being a mom of multiple babies was a life goal.  I started babysitting young and by the time I was 19 years old; I was working at a daycare. Soon after I started that job, I was married.  And yes, I wanted to have babies right away. Finally, I had my sweet little boy a month after my 21st birthday.  Yes, I was delayed on my 4 kids by 25 years old plan, but sometimes our bodies don’t want to cooperate.

Sadly, by the age of 24 I found myself making a the hardest decision.  My marriage was rocky; I was suffering from depression and even attempted suicide.  My perfect life was falling apart and I didn’t know how to hold it together. When I was leaving my ex-husband, I had my car packed with everything my son and I owned.  It was so packed that my son couldn’t fit in the car. And honestly, I didn’t know where I was even going to stay. I begged my then husband to give me a few hours to figure it out and we would meet up so he can give me my son.  

I found a cheap hotel to stay until the new apartment was available.  I met up with my ex-husband and our child; I was full of joy when I saw them pull up.  I hugged my baby and held on to him for a while. We went to a local game place where my ex-husband asked for us to go in so my son could play.  My son was only 3 years old at the time and that was his favorite place. I just watched him intensely while we played. I had missed him so much that day.  But, my joy was soon disrupted when at the time we were supposed to leave; my ex –husband rushed to fasten my son in his car told me to get lost because I made my decision and left with my son.  I was left in the parking lot heartbroken. You see, all day I had a feeling that I would never see my son again. I regretted driving away, and kept thinking of all that crap in the car that I should’ve left behind.  I couldn’t believe my eyes. I couldn’t believe he would take him.

Weeks went by and I couldn’t see my son.  I went to every lawyer, and free legal clinic but I was stuck.  Between my depression, anxiety and now this separation; I was lost.  I was paralyzed. I would go near his house to get a glimpse of my baby but was too much of a coward to go in and get my baby.  I couldn’t function. The hardest part has been overcoming those debilitating thoughts these last ten years.

Finally, I was able to see my son once a week, then twice, and then for the weekends.  At first my ex-husband would supervise the visits. Until his mom told him to stop being an asshole.  Months later, his mom told me that I was free to get my baby whenever I wanted. I wish I knew that.

A year later, I was better working and going to school full time.  I was committed to be a better version of myself. But, still found myself lost dealing with the divorce and legal shit I didn’t understand.  I felt manipulated into agreeing to only have my son on the weekends. But in all honesty, I was in a shithole financially and I knew my son would be better with his dad.  I was too weak to fight him and try to get child or spousal support. My ex-husband took advantage and got everything he wanted.

As time went by, I did my best.  My depression would come and go but I showed up everywhere for my son.  For years I heard family and friends praise my son’s father and treat him like he was a hero; I even had a family member told me that my ex-husband was a better father than I was a mother.  For years, I was the joke. My mother would beg me to go to court and fight for my son. But how could I, when nobody could show up for me financially to help me. I would go to lawyers charging thousands of dollars with no guarantees.  Couple of years later, my ex-husband remarried. I had to endure watching my son be raised by someone else. They made all the decisions. She is truly a great step-mom but I was often left out of big decisions related to my son. It has been rough.  For years I was on the sidelines of my son’s life watching him grow. I felt unworthy of being called a mother. I continued to be shamed and questioned by people when I would say anything about our parenting agreement. Every school year, I had to go to the school and fill out a whole form so I could be added to be an emergency contact.  They couldn’t even put me down for such an important matter. So, I rolled with the punches.

I finally snapped, after years of humiliation. I found out the word on the “street” is that I left my son.  Yes, his father told people, I left him and my son. SO, between that and all the shit he and his wife put me through.  I snapped at them. I no longer cared to turn the other cheek. I stood up for myself and claimed the space that I thought was taken away from me.  We haven’t had any more issues.

Last year, I finally completed my degree and watching my son’s pride as I walked across made me feel like I’ve done something right.  I consistently showed up for my son; I was at every game, every school play, everything that he did, I was there – humiliation and all.

At 34 years old, I am still not married and have one awesome kid instead of four.  I am the happiest part time mama you will meet. Because, my love for him and the way I show up for him, it’s full time.     

My secret - I never gave up, shame and all.     

Things You Should Know About Berlin High School ​​​​​​​

Thank you M/I Homes for sponsoring this post and supporting the Olentangy School District.  As always all opinions remain my own.

It’s August and that means the kids head back to school later this month and for so many families in the Olentangy School District this marks a really exciting time as their new High School is getting ready to open their doors to welcome students for the very first time.  

Olentangy Berlin High School sits on 90 acres of land in the city of Delaware and is simply stunning.  This beautiful state of the art high school is home to the Berlin Bears and will soon be filled with 9th, 10th, and 11th graders.  Berlin High School is the district’s 4th high school and joins the family of very successful high schools within the district. With 5,524 students Olentangy District has a 83% success rate in reading proficiency, 78% in mathematics proficiency, and a score of 64.3 in college readiness according to US News.   

The Berlin Bears are getting excited about the opening of this new school and sharing their excitement on social media using popular school hashtags, #clawsup #hibernationisover ! If you want to catch a glimpse into the life of the students and faculty at Olentangy Berlin I would suggest heading to Twitter and Instagram and searching those hashtags.  You’ll definitely see some fun photos that will make you want to join this wonderful community.

Photo Credit: Olentangy Local Schools Facebook Page

Things You Should Know About Berlin High School
 

Tight Security - Every visitor or parent will need to be buzzed in by the receptionist before entering the building.  They will also enter the office before gaining access to the rest of the building. School safety is definitely something I'm glad they focused on when designing the new school. 

Wider hallways, an overlook room for small events on the second floor, and a larger central staircase help with crowd control and a less stressful day when kids are trying to get from classroom to classroom. 

Strong community - through the school motto, the brand new Alma Mater, and school publications Berlin presents a strong community that I would love my child to be part of.  There is a yearbook app that students can upload their photos to with the possibility that those photos could be used in the regular school publications and/or yearbook.  This app is just a piece of the puzzle in their effort to help make sure everyone feels engaged and connected.

Photo Credit: Olentangy Local Schools Facebook Page

Neighborhoods in the Berlin school zone include M/I communities - Clarkshaw Moors and Clarkshaw Meadows that are now building new homes perfect for the growing family.

7 Tips for Quick, Healthy School Lunches!

“Thank you Erin from Feed Me Greens for writing this guest post, scroll down to learn more about Erin and where you can find more from her. This post may contain affiliate links. ”

Each year summer seems to go faster than the last….and no matter how you feel about it, it’s that time of year again!  Stores are selling back to school clothes, end caps of Target are brimming with crisp folders, marker boxes, and fresh pens and pencils, the kids are asking for new shoes and backpacks, and you’re feeling fired up and strong going in to the start of a new school year.  You’re really going to nail it this time, join the committees, complete all the paperwork, volunteer to make homemade treats for the parties.  Or maybe you’ve done this many times and know that won’t be you this year.  Either way, there’s one fact that won’t change – the kids have to eat!  And unless your child buys at school, that means that you’re going to be packing a lot of lunches. In my case, it’s 2 or 3 lunches each weekday, and I don’t even want to think about the math on that for total number of lunches to be packed this year. 

But the good news is, it doesn’t have to be time consuming or stressful or even the same old boring sandwich every day.  Here’s my tips for making it as enjoyable (or at least as painless!) as possible!

1)      Get the kids involved.  Depending on their age, it can be as simple as letting them pick which fruit, snacks, etc. you throw in the cart that week at the grocery.  Older kids can pack some or all of their own lunch.  It’s good for them to have the responsibility, and they’re more likely to pack things they’ll actually eat.

2)      Arm yourself with a few trusted supplies. Brown bags are easy and economical. I get it, no muss, no fuss. I remember when I was little, the thing was to decorate your brown bag with marker for the ultimate personalized experience.  But there are lots of great container and lunchbox options out there these days that can make the job easier and save you having to pack everything into Ziploc bags.  Some of these lunchboxes are a little pricey upfront, but they can last for years and stand up to a good beating.  For instance, we have a Planetbox container/bag combo (currently on sale!) that is going on it’s third year and is as good as new.  The compartments make it easy to add in a variety of food and the bonus is that you don’t have to panic because you ran out of baggies again – or is that just me?!  (Also, these lunchboxes make everything look pretty and delicious and organized which I swear somehow makes this whole process more enjoyable.)  The metal container sections are ideal for packing foods without smushing them, i.e. sliced fruit and veggies or cheese and crackers, and there are small containers that fit within the compartments and can be used for things like yogurt or dipping sauces like hummus or salsa.

Shredded rotisserie chicken, sliced cukes, cheese cubes, Greek yogurt with maple syrup, granola and blueberries

There are other stainless-steel brands out there, i.e. Lunchbots and U-Konserve, plus bento style boxes like YumBox and Bentgo.  The plastic Ziploc brand divided lunch containers (or similar) will get the job done and are less expensive even if they may not hold up as well long term.

Disclaimer: my oldest prefers a plain lunch bag like his friends.  We use one called the Fridge to Go bag.  If this is the case for you, I recommend a few reusable plastic or stainless steel containers of various sizes that you can put food in, as pictured below. This makes for less waste and is also easier for packing foods that may get smashed easily. 

Leftover tomato soup, granola bar, cheese cubes, and berries

3)      Make leftovers your friend!  This is one of my favorite hacks because you’re not reinventing the wheel here folks.  Slice up a leftover grilled chicken breast, fill a container with pasta, or reheat some soup.  (Note: for warm items like soup, I love the small Thermos containers.)  Leftover taco or burrito filling can be mixed with rice and cheese or rolled up in a tortilla.  Had pizza last night?  They just won the lunchtime lottery.  Also, it’s not just dinner that has leftovers. If you made oatmeal for breakfast, toss that in a thermos with some blueberries.  Didn’t finish their scrambled eggs? Wrap them into a tortilla or pita with shredded cheese. 

Whole wheat pesto pasta, yogurt tube, chocolate chip/almond mix, apples, grape tomatoes

4)      Use sneaky sandwich subs: Tortillas, bagels and pita bread can be your friend here when you are sick of sandwiches!  Slather a tortilla with hummus, honey mustard and veggies, or load up a whole wheat bagel with cream cheese and turkey.  I’ve used leftover whole wheat pancakes from the weekend to make sunbutter and or cream cheese and jelly sandwiches.  Or think outside the bun completely and shove some meat, veggies, and cheese on a few long toothpicks. It looks fancy and is just as fast as a sandwich. I buy Amy’s brand frozen veggie burgers to heat up and add to a bun or tortilla.  Finally, even changing the shape of the bread can make it seem different.  Take one minute to roll the bread flat, add your toppings, and roll it up to make pinwheels. This takes literally one additional minute.  Maybe. 

Hummus and pretzels, clementine, turkey/cheese/mustard roll-up, and yogurt tube

5)      Choose healthier packaged snacks: When buying packaged snacks (i.e. chips, crackers, cookies), I look for those with fewest ingredients, no artificial colors, and least amount of sugar.  There are plenty of good options these days, and although some people choose to buy no packaged snacks, I can tell you in my realistic world, it’s helpful to have a few good options on hand that you know your family likes!  Popcorn, tortilla chips (+ salsa), whole grain pretzels and crackers, and veggie straws or plantain chips (+ guac) are some of ours.

6)      Packed Lunch Cheat Sheet: I pack lunches with these categories loosely in mind.  Just some examples to get your wheels turning!

7)      Finally! Don’t put pressure on yourself to have every lunch every day be healthy and delicious and Pinterest worthy.  I try to aim for mostly healthy but they definitely get Pirate’s Booty and cookies sometimes and other times it’s homemade protein bites.  Remember that they have someone who loves them enough to think about their lunch so they’re lucky and blessed before they even open that box or bag!

Pineapple, grape tomatoes, leftover rice pilaf, veggie straws, and hummus/cheese/honey mustard/veggie wrap

Erin Wanke spent 8 years working in clinical research before leaving to complete her health coach certification through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. She now runs a health coaching business, publishes a vegetarian food and wellness blog (Feed Me Greens), and provides recipe development and food photography services.  Erin lives in Columbus, OH with her husband and three young children/sous chefs/mess makers.  You can find more information on her website at www.feedmegreens.com, or follow her on Instagram (feed_me_greens)!
 

Why We Choose I9 Sports For Our Kids

This weekend we wrapped up another successful year of Tball for my little guy with I9 Sports in East Columbus.  It just hit me that it was his last season of tball because moving forward he will be participating in coach pitch baseball.  It’s so weird to think that my mommy’s boy will be playing baseball. There’s something so different about calling it baseball vs. tball.   Anyways let’s move on…

After two wonderful seasons I thought I would share a few of the reasons we choose I9 Columbus East as the league best for our child. As you know, I research E V E R Y T H I N G. My view is that if I’m sending my kids somewhere it better be safe, fun, and high quality.  Also, if I’m spending good money on an extracurricular activity I expect good communication, highly organized team, and friendly staff. There are definitely other things I look for depending on the program but those are my initial standards. I9 Columbus East meet and exceeds those standards over and over again.  

Friendly Staff

When you arrive on game day you are greeted by a table with two-three I9 staff members ready to point you in the right direction, answer any questions, and search for an extra hat if your son lost his (wait that may be on a case by case basis haha).  From there you head to meet your coach and we are getting ready to be on our third season with the same coach because he’s so awesome. My son loves Coach Matt and event talks about him throughout the week. “I can’t wait to show Coach Matt my new toy” “Coach Matt calls me OG” the list could go on and on...

Side Note: If everyone starts requesting Coach Matt now and Owen doesn’t get him next season I’m going to really regret mentioning his name! :)

Excellent Communication

We’ve been through a few other programs with our older daughter and none of them hold a candle to I9 Columbus East.  They send us weekly reminder emails, text us the day before game day, and that table you’re greeted with at the beginning of each practice/game is staffed with highly trained staff members who know their stuff.

Quality Program

The coaching staff is top notch.  My son has learned so much over the last few years and I couldn’t be happier with the knowledge he gained.  He is passionate about the sport and truly loves going every Saturday morning.

So. Much. Fun.

My son has had so much fun this summer and as a mom that was definitely a highlight of the program. I want him to have fun while learning so he wants to go back and has the confidence to try new things.  

It’s SO adorable

Let’s get real for a minute I love all of the above perks of the program but the best part for me?  Watching my 4 year old play in the dirt completely ignoring the ball, watching him hit the ball from the Tee and run with the bat all the way to first base - dropping it just in time to *almost* trip his coach (on accident of course), and running over mid game to hug his mama! :)

If you’re looking for a quality program I highly recommend I9 Sports Columbus Easton. The Houstons have created a top of the line program and I am so thankful they are sharing their program with all of us.  

How Coworking Helped Me Spend More Intentional Time With My Children | Haven Collective | 614 Mom

Wow. This blog post has been weighing on my heart for awhile now and it feels so good to sit down and get it all typed out.  There are a lot of articles about the benefits of coworking and I would have to agree with anyone who tells me coworking is great for business.  Coworking has helped me in my business tremendously and I remain thankful every single day for my membership at Haven Collective. The one thing I never predicted?  The way coworking would help me spend more intentional time with my children.

As a work from home mom my days are looooong. The day starts early with breakfast, school drop off, and playtime for the youngest two. We typically head to the park where I ask them to sit in the car just a few extra minutes so I can respond to that one email that turns into three and then we get out to play.  I check my phone a few times throughout the day, like a high school student in class, trying not to get caught….but they catch me. Every. Single. Time. I’m still TOTALLY in the moment though, I lie to myself.

I’m not trying to ignore them - I’m trying to help a client.  A client who pays me so I can pay for tball, ballet, random trips to the LEGO store, and everything else their little hearts desire. Because they deserve the world, and I’m going to give them the freaking world.

We head home and I make lunch and put them both down for nap.  Nap time - great that’s my work time. First though let’s switch laundry and run the dishwasher so those things can be working while I am. Work smarter not harder...right? Crap that dish hit the sink too hard and now the baby is crying.  Get her back down for nap and now I’m exhausted. I sit. For the first time all day, I sit. I email a little on my phone, scroll through social media (that is part of my job after all) and try to cram in as much work as possible in the precious hour that I have before going to pick up my oldest from school.   

Next thing I know it’s 9 pm and all the kids are in bed, I grab my bestie (AKA my laptop) and open it up to find an overwhelming amount of work that is going to keep me up until at least midnight.   I’m pretty sure in that day I wasn’t as in the moment as I thought I was, I saw my husband for all of twenty minutes, and I’m exhausted.

This isn’t the life I dreamed of when I first decided to go into work for myself, but it’s all part of the grind I try to tell myself while wishing I could be in the moment more.  It’s that stage of business that’s hard and I just happen to be going through it while also raising three young children.

My first time ever at Haven - February 27, 2018!! Taken from the Haven Collective Instagram.

When I decided to tour Haven Collective it was mainly just to see the space and say hi to two women I felt like I knew through the power of social media.  I had also recently won an award and part of that prize was a one month membership to Haven, so I was excited to talk about maybe turning that in and claiming my free month just to see what it was all about, I wasn’t ready to start paying for office space and my business wasn’t making enough to justify the expense.  Plus - what about my kids? Where would they go?

From the minute I sat down on the green couch to talk with Melissa (co creator of Haven) I felt like this was my space. They get me here, the struggle is so real being a business owner and then throw in being a parent, especially when you’re the primary caregiver for your kids, it’s tough. The guilt is so strong and hard to shake most days.  I could have sat and talked to Melissa for hours (and maybe we did?)

As soon as I left I could just feel that the change in my business was going to happen there.  That was where I needed to be to become the business owner I had always dreamed of being. I can’t really explain it, but I have proof because as soon as I got home I sent one email and took the rest of the day off.  That email - was to Melissa telling her to sign me up for my one free month and that I didn’t really have any plans on cancelling once that month was over. I was ready to dive all the way in.

Also from my first time at Haven on 2/27/18 - I needed so much to see this sign. Haven gave me the confidence to start growing my business like I knew I needed to.

When I started on March 1, 2018 I was still figuring out a lot about myself and my business. I was at a point of growth with very little vision on where I wanted to be other than I knew it was time to hustle hard. Does that make sense?  That was basically my brain for a few months, chaos. Thankfully the owners of Haven, Melissa and Danielle were there for me in ways that I desperately needed. I needed someone to talk through ideas with because I have A LOT of ideas and talking about them to myself in the shower just wasn’t cutting it anymore.  They helped me see the light, they push me when I’m doubting myself, and my business growth has a lot to do with their encouragement.

I now spend at least once a week at Haven and sometimes that’s all I need. A few uninterrupted hours to H U S T L E.

Haven does have onsite childcare serviced by the best babysitting service in Columbus - Sitting Made Simple and it's so fun for the littles. They are opening up new playgroups for members this fall and I've got my youngest ready to go so mama can hustle every single Monday. 

I can get everything done that I need to in one day at Haven that used to take my two weeks when juggling kids, house and work. Don’t get me wrong, I have a creative brain, there is always work to be done, but the most important stuff gets down so I can spend my nights working when I want to.  I’ve met some amazing business owners who have turned into some of my closest friends, I’ve grown my business and I’m making three times the income I used to make. The best part though? When I’m home with my kids, I am home with my kids. I can turn off email and notifications because I’m caught up. I’m not always behind.  I can just go to the park and catch them as they slide down the tallest slide. I can take the day off and drive to the candy factory without once checking my email and now when I turn on the laptop while they’re awake it’s to crank up Kidz Bop on Spotify for an epic dance party. My kids definitely get their love for a midday dance party from their mama! :)

This is the perfect image to sum up how I feel about being a member of Haven!! Sitting next to a friend and someone I admire so much - co creator of Haven, Danielle Lim.

The Newest Social Enterprise Serves Up Delicious Treats For Every Occasion

Last week Fourteen Twenty Nine and I hosted a wonderful date night experience at Coffee Connections where we paired the delicious brownies from Fourteen Twenty Nine with coffee from Coffee Connections along with intentional conversations starters.  Events like these really fill my heart with so much joy because I truly love meeting each and everyone of you and if I can do that while also supporting local businesses it’s EVEN better.  Occassion

Fourteen Twenty Nine is a specialty bakery with a focus on all types of brownies.  Cookies and Cream, Cake Batter, Cheesecake, and Classic are just a few of the many wonderful flavors.  This would be the perfect local business to order from when thinking about birthday parties, teacher gifts, or for anytime you have a friend or family member who needs a little pick me up. They also cater weddings and other social gatherings.  

The owner, Amanda Caldwell, is passionate about supporting survivors of human trafficking and puts her money where her mouth is by donating a portion of the profits to organizations like Out Of The Darkness, a local non profit opening an emergency safe house in Ohio.  That’s something that I can 100% get behind and a business I want to support.

You can find them the rest of the summer/fall at the Westgate Farmers Market the first and third Saturdays of the month for all of your brownie needs.  You can see below that I'm totally in love with the Brownies...I mean who wouldn't be?

4 Reasons To Love Fourteen Twenty Nine

1. They use locally sourced ingredients

2. This locally owned business is a wonderful member of the community and active in the Westgate Farmers Market

3. They truly care about the community and show that by donation a portion of the profits benefits survivors of human trafficking.

4. The brownies are DELICIOUS

You can follow them on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with all the wonderful goodies.  

Spangler Factory Tour with Cost Analysis | 614 Mom

If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook you know that last week we hopped in the car and drove 2 hours and 48 minutes to the Spangler Candy Factory for a unique day trip.  I had always heard it was in northern Ohio but was never quite adventurous enough to take the trip by myself.  Luckily a friend of mine also wanted to check it out so we decided to make it an adventure and the kids LOVED it.  If you're thinking of making the trip from Central Ohio, let me share a few of the things I learned to help keep the kiddos entertained, bellies full, and the cost down. 

First things first....the drive.  It's about 3 hours from Central Ohio depending on where you're coming from so make sure to have the things your kiddos need for a long trip. For us that meant a movie (or two), lots of snacks, and water bottles.  We had six kiddos in the car so between the movies and just getting to hang out with friends they were happy.  If I were taking just my kids, I probably would have added some coloring book, workbooks, or brought along some of their favorite action figures.  Who am I kidding, those actions figures are ALWAYS with us! :) The drive is pretty boring and there's not a lot of places to stop for food so pack all the snacks you'll need for the day.  Packing not only helps when you can't find a place to stop but it also helps to keep the cost down.  Keep reading and I'll tell you where to stop for lunch. 

When we arrived at the factory the kids were all so thrilled as they were greeted with photos of dum dum lollipops on the side of the brick building. We happened to arrive just minutes before the next tour so it was really perfect timing. Tours are a first come/first serve basis and last 30 minutes.  The start of the tour is in a little room where they go over all of the rules, like no photography, must wear the provided hair net, and hands and feet inside the trolley at all times.  Due to health codes they don't take you in the kitchen but they do show videos so you can see how the candy is made safely away from the heat of the kitchen.  

I had no idea how candy canes were made and I was really impressed when I found out. Super cool.  The store also includes a museum with lots of fun artifacts that the kids enjoyed. 

Fun Facts

• They make 12 million dum dums PER DAY
• Creates 2.7 million candy canes PER DAY
• Family owned for the last 110 years
• You can buy a whole bag of your favorite lollipop flavor
• They make special themed bags I've never seen before - my daughter loved the summertime bag. Peach tea, funnel cake, lemon shake up, are just a few of the flavors in that bag.
• They sell candy canes all year round - including unique flavors like sour patch kids and Oreo. 
• Home of the Saf-T Pops. Safe for the smallest lollipop fans and stamped with different letters to inspire conversations between caregiver and child. 

Cost Analysis 

Gas - I used Gas Buddy to calculate the gas cost so I could give you an exact number.  Total trip (6 hours) the gas cost was $33.74

Snacks - This is a rough estimate because we shop at Costco and I just filled our tote bag full of snacks and a cooler full of water bottles.  We did stop at Starbucks before we left Columbus and spent around $5.  Snacks - $10

Admission - Adults are $5 Children over 5 are $3 and Children under 5 are FREE!! Total admission for my family of four was $8

Candy - You can't go through a candy factory tour without indulging on some candy when you leave.  I let each kid pick an item, because the costs were so reasonable.  $15 later and we have enough candy to last us until Halloween. 

Lunch - Through recommendations from people who visit the area often we stopped by Kissner's . The food was good and the cost was very reasonable.  I ordered for 4 of us and we spent $20 with a 20% tip.  

Our Favorite Spots for Mother/Son Dates

A little over a year ago I shared a list of awesome mother/daughter date ideas and I’ve been meaning to write this mother/son date list ever since but...life.  So today I’m sharing some of my son’s favorite places to go when it’s just him and I. Spending special one on one time with my kids is so important to me, and now it’s something my kids count on so I have a feeling we will be adding a Volume 2 of this list sooner than later.  

Remember, it's not always about what you do or how much money you spend, it's about spending quality time just the two of you. These are memories he will look back and remember.

My Son’s Favorite Spots

Life Time Fitness for Swimming & Smoothies - He loves the kids sunrise smoothie. You can get a guest pass at Life Time by mentioning 614 Mom

Duck Donuts to order custom donuts. My little guy loves Duck Donuts the most because he enjoys watching them make the donuts and they are SO delicious.   

Picnics at the Park - He picks a different park every time but we pack a picnic or pick up mac n cheese from Panera and go eat and play.   Some of his favorite parks that encourage adventure (which he loves) are Blendon Woods Metro Park, Glacier Ridge, Woodside Green Park in Gahanna, and Shale Hollow Park (Delaware) perfect for exploring the creek.  We sometimes bring the soccer ball and play a little pick up game just the two of us! :)

Hilliard Ice Cream Trail - adding a new stamp to our ice cream passport is always a favorite.

Franklin Park Conservatory Children’s Garden - This is a great spot to go with your whole family but Owen really loves this for time with just mom because he can run and explore at his own pace.  There’s even a climbing rope that he likes to climb while pretending he’s Spider-Man.

Zip Zone’s new Kids Adventure Park - We could play here for hours.  With so many different obstacles, Owen stays active four hours and is always ready for a good lunch and nap after.  Here is the blog post I did on the adult adventure park - the kids park is a lot lower and perfect for ages 4-7. 

The Zoo - It’s very rare that we go here just the two of us but when we do, my little guy LOVES it.  He gets to see only his favorite animals and explore at his own pace which is a little slower than his big sister. He loves to slowly explore everything, sit and watch the bugs, read the descriptions of the animals and soak it all in.

Color Me Mine - My little guy is normally all about running, exploring, and being WILD, but he also enjoys having quiet intentional time and that’s exactly what we get at Color Me Mine.  He LOVES when we go. They have so many fun options that he loves from animals to Superheroes and everything in between.

Special time with your kids doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg, it doesn’t have to require 8 hours, or even leaving your house.  Sometimes it’s just as amazing to go in your backyard and kick the soccer ball around or stay in and color or work on a science project.  

5 Tips For The Perfect Ice Cream Social with Tillamook Ice Cream

A special thanks to Tillamook for sponsoring this event and this blog post! As always, all opinions remain my own. 

July is National Ice Cream month and to celebrate I recently hosted an ice cream social and invited EVERYONE! I spent weeks planning the perfect event and it really went off without a hitch.  I so enjoyed meeting everyone who came out to hang out with us and loved watching the kids play and sneaking up to the ice cream bar for seconds and thirds (with their parent’s permission of course).  After spending weeks planning this ice cream social and learning a few things along the way I thought I would share my tips for hosting an awesome ice cream social with all of you. If you have tips you’d add to this list, drop them in the comments.  

I used Tillamook Ice Cream and it was a huge hit.  I had a few people ask me if this is the same Tillamook that is known for their cheeses and I was happy to report that it is the same Tillamook.  They have a reputation for quality products and are definitely known for their delicious cheese and their ice cream is that same high quality product.  You can find Tillamook Ice Cream locally at Kroger and Walmart SuperCenter.  

For this ice cream social I ordered a wide variety of flavors- Oregon Strawberry, Tillamook Mudslide, Caramel Butter Pecan, Vanilla, Chocolate, Coffee Almond Fudge, Chocolate Peanut Butter, and Cookies and Cream.  They were all devoured and everyone came up for seconds but the three most popular flavors were Cookies and Cream, Oregon Strawberry, and of course in the Buckeye State we loved, Chocolate Peanut Butter (it was like Buckeye ice cream).  

5 Tips For The Perfect Ice Cream Social
 

Start with Quality Ice Cream

This may be the most important step.  I really like to make sure that the ice cream I’m choosing for my ice cream socials are both delicious and made with quality ingredients.  I recently discovered Tillamook ice cream and I’m in LOVE. Seriously, at this latest ice cream social I had so many compliments on how delicious the ice cream was, and I have to agree.  It was so good and made with real ingredients. In fact Tillamook ice cream is promised to be made without artificial growth hormones.

Have Fun With Toppings

I like to use things like nuts, berries, homemade chocolate sauce, and whipped cream for our topping bar.  If you pick the right flavors you may not even need toppings. At this recent ice cream social I had Tillamook Mudslide, Caramel Butter Pecan, Strawberry, and a few others and they were all delicious on their own without any toppings.  

Play into the theme with bowls, napkins, and tablecloths and other decorations.

You can get really creative by picking fun accessories for your ice cream social.  At the 614 Mom ice cream social I used these fun polka dot bowls and they were a huge hit. When the kids are involved I really like to use fun colors that are both bright and promote a fun energy at the event. You can even find some ice cream inflatables or balloons on amazon.

Have other Ice Cream themed fun like games and crafts

If you’re hosting an ice cream social for kids you’re going to need to have other activities for them to participate in.  I like to stay on theme and plan activities all focused on ice cream. We recently did a ‘Design Your Own Ice Cream Cone’ craft complete with pom poms, markers, scissors, glue, and other fun art supplies the kids love.  You can also search Pinterest for some fun craft ideas. Another fun idea is pin the cherry on the ice cream dish, a fun spin on the popular birthday game pin the tail on the donkey.

Have water on hand for all in attendance

This may sound silly but I’ve learned from experience that ice cream can make you thirsty.  You can have water bottles on hand or a beverage dispenser with ice water in it with cups. Either way make sure you have water for your guests.   

I’d love to see photos of your ice cream social. Share your photos with me on social using #614mom or drop them in the comments here.