We recently got a chance to review Cascade Platinum Pacs, which left our dishes – and our dishwasher – sparkling!

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Cascade. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

Ever since we got home from our road trip things have just been so busy – work, school stuff, sports – not to mention housework. The laundry never seems to end, and regardless of the fact that I feel like we’re never home, dishes sure do pile up fast! Luckily I was recently sent some Cascade Platinum Pacs to try out.  :o)

The first thing I noticed when I opened the package was how yummy it smelled. (Some people like the smell of flowers or babies, I like cleaning supplies.) I was excited to try to wash a load of dishes without any pre-rinsing, and was even more excited when they actually got clean – and so did my dishwasher! That’s because Cascade Platinum Pacs are specially formulated to maintain the look of your dishwasher and prevent additional hard-water film build-up. Love a product that does double duty cleaning my dishes AND my machine!

Cascade has partnered with Gail Simmons, Top Chef judge and editor of Food+Wine magazine, to get the word out about this great new weapon in the war against yucky dishes:

I absolutely love what she says about how well Cascade Platinum Pacs work even if she waits hours after hosting parties to get the dishwasher running. I’m definitely guilty of abandoning guests to clean, and it’s nice to know that I can relax and enjoy having company over without worrying about rushing to get dishes rinsed off and loaded up.

One place where having super-clean dishes really comes in handy is here in the blog and social media world, where it seems like you can’t go more than 30 seconds without running into a picture of someone’s recent meal; especially over on Instagram! (Speaking of, I’d love it if you’d come follow me on Instagram – totally still trying to get the hang of it though!) Cascade is actually running a contest called “My Platinum” on Instagram, where you can show off how sparkly Cascade gets your dishes and be entered to win some amazing prizes – each week, two contestants will be selected to win a new Whirlpool dishwasher, and one lucky grand prize winner will get a Platinum kitchen makeover! Full details about the contest can be found here. Each week has a different theme to the pictures, so it’s fun to see what everyone is sharing!

Running the dishwasher is never going to be a fun, glamorous job – but thanks to Cascade Platinum Pacs it can at least be an easy one! To be kept up to date with all Cascade news (maybe some day they’ll invent a dishwasher that actually loads itself?), check them out on Facebook here!

Disney’s sharing some awesome paper plane templates complete with detailed instructions – fun activity for the kiddos to do with dad on Father’s Day!  :) 

(Which is this Sunday, if you’re forgetful like me!)

We just got back from a road trip! Our first week of official summer break was spent on vacation – we drove from Chicago to Texas to visit my husband’s family. We were there for five days, and got back last night. The trip was a lot of fun, and the kids were absolutely AWESOME in the car (it’s about a 17 hour drive – we split it into 3 days on the way there, and 2 on the way back).

I’m back at work already today, but will be posting some road trip tips later this week. I tried to grab an iPhone photo at each state sign we passed – the only one I didn’t get was the Illinois sign on our return; it was pouring rain at that point and I kind of just wanted to get home.  :)

I hope your summers are all off to as great a start as ours has been!

Summer concerts are already in full swing at Cantigny Park, and the 2013 concert schedule is below! Concerts at Cantigny are free with paid admission to the park ($5 per car). Performances take place at the Cantigny bandshell near the park’s front entrance or, if noted, in front of the First Division Museum.  For all concerts, guests are encouraged to bring a blanket or chairs, and picnics are welcome!

· R Gang (R&B)

Sunday, May 26, 3 pm

· Steve Cooper Orchestra (big band)

Monday, May 28, 3pm

· Woody James and The Millington Two (Johnny Cash tribute)

Sunday, June 2, 3 pm

· The Jay Witcher Orchestra (swing)

Sunday, June 9, 3 pm

· Istvan and His Imaginary Band (A concert especially for kids!)

Saturday, June 22, 2 pm

· The Special Consensus (bluegrass)

Sunday, June 23, 3 pm

· The Boogers (A concert especially for kids!)

Saturday, June 29, 2 pm

· The Neverly Brothers (50’s & 60’s music)

Sunday, June 30, 3 pm

· U.S. Navy Band Great Lakes (wind ensemble)

Wednesday, July 4, 3 pm, at the First Division Museum – and parking is free on the 4th!

· Denny Diamond (Neil Diamond tribute)

Sunday, July 7, 3 pm

· ScribbleMonster (A concert especially for kids!)

Saturday, July 13, 2 pm

· Heartache Tonight (Eagles tribute)

Sunday, July 14, 3 pm

· New Odyssey

Sunday, July 21, 2pm

· Little Miss Ann Band (A concert especially for kids!)

Saturday, July 27, 2 pm

· The Wave Runners (beach party)

Sunday, July 28, 3 pm

· Toronzo Cannon with BMR4 (Chicago blues)

Sunday, August 4, 3 pm

· Big Guitars from Memphis (country)

Sunday, August 11, 3 pm

· Three Men in Kilts (Irish)

Sunday, August 18, 3 pm

· Banjo Buddies Dixieland Band (Dixie)

Sunday, August 25, 3 pm

· Five Guys Named Moe (classic rock)

Sunday, September 1, 3 pm

· The Chicago Outskirts (jazz)

Monday, September 2, 3 pm

I am so looking forward to seeing some great music from local bands this summer – even better when the concerts are my favorite price, free!  :)

It’s no secret that I absolutely love where we live – we gave up a life without snow in Texas and returned to the Chicago area after almost 8 years away, so that’s saying something. And while the whole year here is pretty great, summer is my absolute favorite season – the city just comes alive when the weather turns nice!

I’ve gotten together with a group of bloggers to highlight the things we love most about where we live – here’s my list for the Chicago area!

The iconic “bean” in Millennium Park.

Downtown – There is SO much to do in the downtown area of Chicago! Museum Campus houses the Shedd Aquarium, Field Museum, and the Adler Planetarium, all of which are must-see spots if you’re visiting our city. Down the road a bit is Navy Pier, where you can shop, take a boat ride, play mini-golf, and experience our 150-foot tall ferris wheel. Architectural tours of Chicago area very popular, and the shopping on Michigan Avenue can’t be beat. On a hot summer day locals like to hang out at one of the many beaches along Lake Michigan. Lincoln Park Zoo and the Lincoln Park Conservatory are two excellent spots to spend some time, and they’re both FREE! Our favorite way to spend a day downtown is at Millennium Park, splashing in Crown Fountain.

Pirate’s Cove is a children’s amusement park in the northwest suburbs of Chicago.

Local park districts – The park districts throughout Illinois are really amazing – I never realized until I moved to Texas that towns in every state don’t have the park districts we do here. Depending on what suburb you visit you’re likely to find park district facilities ranging from boat rides to amusement parks, water parks to living history farms, all offered at extremely reasonable rates. Honorable mention here goes to our local libraries, many of which offer unparalleled children’s play areas and programming.

Main Street in Galena, 3 hours west of Chicago.

Our central location – Even though there’s enough to keep any family occupied for a long time within Chicago and her surrounding suburbs, sometimes you just want to get away. Luckily Chicago is in a perfect central location for day trips and weekend road trips. One of our favorite places to go to get away from it all is Galena, a small resort-ish town located about 3 hours west of Chicago, near the Iowa border. Other popular road trip locations include the Wisconsin Dells and St. Louis. Just want to get away for a day? Madison, Milwaukee, and the Indiana Dunes are all excellent daytrip locales within easy driving distance from the city.

A creek at Springbrook Nature Center, northwest of Chicago.

Natural areas – Despite being home to the third-largest city in America, the Chicagoland area boasts some amazing natural areas. Forest preserve districts offer miles upon miles of bike and hiking trails, as well as streams and lakes for boating and fishing. Nature centers abound throughout the suburbs, and there are a number of arboretums and gardens within driving distance of the city.

Special events – There is always something going on around these parts, particularly in the summer months. The Taste of Chicago, Blues Festival, Jazz Festival, Air and Water Show, various sporting events, and different neighborhood festivals offer entertainment options literally every day of the summer. Seriously, there is ALWAYS something fun to do in Chicago!

So why do I love Chicago and its surrounding areas? More than the museums, the nature centers, the entertainment, the location, I love the people. Hard-working, tell-it-like-it-is folks who will do anything for a friend. It’s a town that’s easy to fit into, that’s easy to get along in. The food is great, the entertainment is amazing, and there’s something for everyone here. Really, what’s not to love??  :)

Be sure to visit the rest of these great bloggers to see what they love about where they live! 

Atlanta with Kid takes us on a tour of Atlanta

Jersey Family Fun shares the great attractions in New Jersey

Manasota Family Fun shows us the Suncoast of Florida

 Child Central Station explores the Upper Peninsula of Michigan

What’s Doing? Tampa Bay introduces us to sunny fun in Tampa Bay

Nothing if Not Intentional highlights family travels in Indiana

Busy Kids, Happy Mom travels back in time to (Historic) Virginia

Meet Penny introduces us to the Alabama Gulf Coast

Adventures in Wunderland highlights some fun in Southern California

 KC Edventures shows us places to discover in Kansas City Missouri & Kansas

I have a post up over on the Arctic apples blog today about the Okanagan Specialty Fruits company – click here to head over and read it! Okanagan produces apples that are modified (yes, genetically) to be non-browning. They’re a small company doing some pretty cool things, and I was honored when they asked me to write a piece for them. Too often when I talk about GMOs people are quick to comment or email me insisting that I’m a Monsanto shill (activists love that word – shill – I suppose I’ve been called worse!). I get that there’s a lot of controversy about Monsanto, but like I said in my post about the Food Dialogues, let’s not demonize an entire technology just because of one company.

So head over and learn about Okanagan Specialty Fruits – a company with seven employees that is in favor of voluntary labeling, whose products directly benefit consumers like you and me. And if you have a few minutes, I think everyone should watch this TEDx talk Okanagan’s founder Neal Carter gave about biotech – seriously – if you watch one thing today, make it this.  :)

Magic Waters, one of the largest water parks in Illinois, opens for the season June 8 – and with the hot weather we had this past weekend, I can’t wait to do some swimming this summer!

Magic Waters is located near Rockford, and features a wave pool, lazy river, water coaster, and a bunch of awesome-looking water slides. I’m sure my kids will enjoy exploring Tiki Island, and when it’s time for lunch we can grab some food at Ocho’s Cantina. Sounds like a great way to spend a summer day!

Magic Waters has a few special offers going on this summer:

$12 Buck Bargain Days: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday during the 2013 season all admissions are just $12!

Friday Family Fun Nights: The Radio Disney Road Crew will provide entertainment, and if you come after 4 admission is just $12.99 on Fridays from June 14 through August 16.

Meet & Greet: On Sunday, July 14, Disney band IM5 will be at the park for a Meet and Greet.

Head to the Magic Waters website to check out all the fun they offer and to buy tickets before you go. Season passes are also available. Enjoy!  :o)

This is an exclusive offer brought to you by WindyCityKidsGuide!

Itasca holds a Family Concert Series during the summer, with shows on 2^nd and 4^th Wednesdays beginning June 12. Concerts are held from 7-8:30pm at Usher Park. Don’t forget to bring lawn chairs or a blanket to sit on, and feel free to bring a picnic – maybe even some wine.  And be sure to stop by Delia’s for some delicious ice cream!

· 28 Days (current music cover band)

Wednesday, June 12, 7-8:30 pm

· New Odyssey (wide variety cover band)

Wednesday, June 26, 7-8:30 pm

· Tropixplosian (caribbean/reggae)

Wednesday, July 10, 7-8:30 pm

· Shindig (60’s oldies)

Wednesday, July 24, 7-8:30 pm

· Hillbilly Rockstarz (country)

Wednesday, August 7, 7-8:30 pm

For more information about concerts in Itasca, call (630) 773-0835. As always, details may have changed since posting – you can double check with the Village of Itasca before you go to avoid potential disappointment!

Hope you all have a great day with your little monsters!  :o)

Elk Grove Village hosts a wide variety of concerts during the summer. Some are held on the Village Green (indicated below as VG), between the library and the municipal building. This is right near one of Elk Grove’s splash pads, so you might want to bring a change of clothes and towels! Other concerts are held at the Pavilion Gazebo (indicated below as PG), near Pirate’s Cove. For both types of concerts you’ll want to bring a blanket or chair and get there early, as space fills up! If you happen to come to one of the Pavilion Gazebo concerts you will more than likely see us – come say hi if you do!  :o)

· Jose Valdes & the Mambo All Stars (VG)

Sunday, June 9, 12:00-2:00 pm

· Guitarra Azul (VG)

Sunday, June 9, 3:30-5:30 pm

· Switch Time Jazz (PG)

Sunday, June 30, 6:00-7:30 pm

· Mr. Myers – Caribbean Rock (PG)

Sunday, July 7, 6:00-7:30 pm

· Blood Sweat & Tears (VG)

Tuesday, July 9, 7:00-10:00 pm

· Jeanie B! & the Jelly Beans (PG)

Sunday, July 14, 6:00-7:30 pm

· Fran Cosmo, former lead singer of Boston (VG)

Tuesday, July 16, 7:00-10:00 pm

· R-Gang – R&B (PG)

Sunday, July 21, 6:00-7:30 pm

· Daryl Stuermer of Genesis (VG)

Tuesday, July 23, 7:00-10:00 pm

· Three Dog Night (VG)

Tuesday, July 30, 7:00-10:00 pm

I’m honestly not sure if this list is complete or not, so I will add to it if I see more concerts scheduled – especially the ones at the Gazebo; this list looks light in comparison to past years. Since this schedule was much harder to come by than other local towns’ info I’m slightly nervous about the accuracy of what I found, so PLEASE double check details before you go with either the Elk Grove Park District (for the Gazebo concerts) or the Village (for the Village Green concerts). The park district can be reached at (847) 437-9494 and the Village’s number is (847) 439-3900.