You've got your soccer families, dance moms, and hockey dads. We've dabbled in these worlds, but recently have found us settling into the theater scene. Our oldest has been bitten by the acting bug and has been performing in community theater since he was 9 years old. We've been looking to take both boys to a real-deal Broadway production, but just haven't found the right show or time. Until now.

ANNIE, the Tony award-winning production, comes to Boston's Boch Center Wang Theatre through May 21. I took the boys and my mother in-law to opening night. Newsweek describes ANNIE as "Spectacular on every count." And I couldn't agree more.

The Boch Center Wang Theatre took the boys' breath away with it's gilded opulence and elegance.


The place was buzzing with excitement from families with children dressed up to see ANNIE. Cameras flashing for fun photos like this one.


My oldest was blown away as soon as the curtain went up. The set design was unlike anything he had ever seen. And all around us children were dancing in their seats to crowd favorites "It's a Hard Knock Life," "Easy Street," "I Don't Need Anything But You," and of course "Tomorrow." And it was hard not to give an "awww" anytime Sandy, performed by talented rescue dogs Macy and Sunny, was on stage.

From the acting, vocals, choreography, costume and scenic design - it's a performance we will never forget.


ANNIE runs through May 21st at the Boch Center Wang Theatre. To learn more and to purchase tickets (tickets start at just $35), visit http://www.bochcenter.org/buy/show-listing/annie-2017 **Save 25% on tickets to the following performances: May 11, 12, 14 eve, 16, 17, 18, 21 eve. Excludes Orchestra Pit and Orchestra rows A-D. Use promotional code "MOMS"**


Disclaimer: Thanks to Boch Center for hosting me and my family to opening night performance of ANNIE, which I received free of charge. As always, opinions are my own. 

hopefully tomorrow! And most definitely starting on May 9th when the broadway production of ANNIE returns to Boston. Ever since our oldest got into theater, we've been looking for kid-appropriate shows for the family. ANNIE is the perfect musical for both kids and adults. This Tony Award winning production is coming to the Boch Center Wang Theater from May 9-May21.

I'm bringing the family to opening night and will have a full review soon! In the meantime, you can purchase tickets and learn more about ANNIE here. **And for a limited time, save 50% on tickets on Tuesday, May 9th and Wednesday, May 10th by using the promotional code "POLAR."

One of the things we love about Fall are all the harvest festivals. Nothing says Fall like pumpkins, apple cider and caramel apples, right? Then I heard about the CitySprouts Festival: Hands-on cooking and crafts for kids, Iron Chef style cook-off, live music and info on school gardening. We were on our way to Cambridge faster than you can stuff a scarecrow.


What is CitySprouts?
As stated on on their website:

"CitySprouts is a school and community program that integrates academic, health and environmental education in the public schools and in the neighborhood through school gardens... Based in Cambridge, MA, CitySprouts school gardens ensure that hands-on learning, environmental stewardship, and the experience of growing and eating food becomes part of the public education all children receive."

Who can argue with that? Check out their Facebook page too to learn more.

Annual CitySprouts Festival
This year's festival was held at the Fletcher-Maynard Academy in Cambridge, MA. There were plenty of things to keep even the most skeptical kid (namely my youngest) busy - pumpkin decorating, apple cider press, games and prizes just to name a few. And the CitySprouts mission of inspiring schools and families with a hands-on connection to the food cycle, sustainability and the environment came through in a fun and unassuming way.

Here are some photos of our day at The CitySprouts Festival:

The cider press was a popular attraction. Kids got a chance to make fresh apple cider using a cider press and some elbow grease.

No juice boxes here!

The Stone Soup station offered kids a chance to prep vegetables grown in the school garden and add them to the pot to make "Stone Soup".

CitySprouts volunteer demonstrating prepping greens for the soup pot.

Kids were able to decorate flags using stamps made from vegetables. Will need to steal this idea!

Volunteers helping kids create works of art using vegetables grown from the garden.

Leeks, potatoes and and radishes make great stamps!

 Connect 3 kept festival goers moving with some upbeat tunes.

Jamming in the streets of Cambridge.

Older kids competed in teams for a Dip-off in which teams created dips and salsas top-chef style.

Future top chefs in the making.

Fun and games that kept kids busy and introduced them to a variety of fruits and veggies.

Bean/straw game: pick up dried beans using a only a straw.

How many beans can you drop into this glass cylinder?

Playground at Fletcher-Maynard Academy

Decorated pumpkins

Earlier this month I decided to check out the first annual Boston Local Food Festival - an outdoor food event featuring local food sourced in New England. I was excited to check out this FREE, zero-waste event. Over a 100 vendors and exhibitors were participating. Perfect weather was sure to draw huge crowds. And it promised fun for the whole family with family-oriented activities just on the doorsteps of the Boston's Children's museum. Except I had to do this by myself with a five and two-year old. Gulp!

I took the boys to the museum first to get their 'ya-yas' out early with the hopes that they would cooperate as we navigated the festival. We left the Children's Museum around 11:30am and the food festival was already pretty crowded. But I was determined to scope out as much as possible and chow down on some good food. Here's what actually happened:
 
We checked out the Save the Harbor Save the Bay table so that my oldest could get up close and personal with a live lobster.

Lesson 1: look for (live) animals to entertain the kids

We *slowly* weaved through the throngs of people only to find long lines to almost all the vendors.

Lesson 2: If you are bringing a stroller, make sure it's a small one

We also won a prize at the bean bag toss courtesy of Cabot's, sampled fresh organic milk from Organic Valley, snagged peanut butter and craisin wraps from Maria and Ricardo's Tortilla Factory, and jammed to some Bluegrass.

Lesson 3: fun music always helps set the mood

The highlight of the festival for me was The Grilled Cheese Truck.

Lesson 4: Go for vendors with short lines

I reluctantly shared the melted cheddar (Vermont Butter & Cheese Co.) on Iggy's bread (with and without apple-smoked bacon and tomato) with the boys.

Lesson 5: Set a good example and share with the kids

The highlight of the festival for my oldest was the bus from Enterprise Farm.

Lesson 6: Interactive exhibits are great for the whole family

The bus project is an innovative way to bring fresh produce to people who need it the most without all the red tape of traditional distribution methods.

We left the festival around 1pm - just when the crowds were thickening even more. And I thought maneuvering a small stroller and kindergartner was bad earlier! Even though I wasn't able to check out even half the vendors at the festival, sample some of the tasty treats from Sportello, Taza chocolates, M&M Ribs (just a few restaurants I was dying to try), or take more pictures (you try taking a picture with one hand on the stroller and one eye on a 5-year old), I was glad I went. I think next time I might consider leaving the kids at home.

Getting ready for another event at the Children's Museum: Good-For-You-Pizza-Party hosted by Rustic Crust. Stay tuned for my post on this event!