https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 21 Apr 2026 11:37:35 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-experiences-with-your-lo-this-coming-year#post-2426377 Mon, 18 Jan 2016 15:44:19 +0000 gingerbebe 2426377@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My MIL/FIL live in one of the new golf developments in Belmont and DH's aunt and brother live in Cascade. My SIL likes taking our nephew sledding behind their house these days and in the summer they go to the outdoor evening concerts and events at the Mejier Garden. That might be a fun picnic spot. They also take him to the beach a lot in the summer and the farmers market on the weekends. They had a patio container garden before they just bought their big new house - those are easy. You can even just drill some holes in a big plastic beverage tub and fill it with soil and it's perfect standing height for the kids. We have lettuce and spring onions in one right now and we had strawberries last summer. Tomatoes do better in the ground because they grow so tall and you gotta stake them unless you do that topsy turvy tomato thing where it hangs upside down - my MIL had one on her deck and it was really productive. Herbs like mint do well in pots and you can make mint lemonade. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-experiences-with-your-lo-this-coming-year#post-2426356 Mon, 18 Jan 2016 15:34:09 +0000 Bao 2426356@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@gingerbebe: about 15 minutes north of there! If that... ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-experiences-with-your-lo-this-coming-year#post-2426353 Mon, 18 Jan 2016 15:31:05 +0000 gingerbebe 2426353@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Bao: where in Michigan are you? My ILs live in GR! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-experiences-with-your-lo-this-coming-year#post-2426284 Mon, 18 Jan 2016 14:57:49 +0000 regberadaisy 2426284@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Bao: last year we couldn't decide on a permanent location on our garden. And we wanted to test the location out for growing conditions so we did container garden. DH will be building raised beds over the winter.</p> <p>Last year we had squash, cherry tomatoes, regular tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, green beans. Green beans were her absolute favorite. We will be expanding this year and growing some more greens, in particular seeds for Chinese vegetables. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-experiences-with-your-lo-this-coming-year#post-2426071 Mon, 18 Jan 2016 13:50:35 +0000 SweetCaroline 2426071@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ShootingStar: oh splash pad!! Good idea!</p> <p>We try to go to a park for our picnics, but sometimes just at home! I like it because we don't have to cook or wash dishes, and the focus is on FUN, not the normal weeknight routine. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-experiences-with-your-lo-this-coming-year#post-2426030 Mon, 18 Jan 2016 13:26:02 +0000 Bao 2426030@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: what did you plant? I know things are best based on region, but curious! We were thinking of doing one of those elevated ones, but build it ourselves. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-experiences-with-your-lo-this-coming-year#post-2426003 Mon, 18 Jan 2016 13:11:30 +0000 ShootingStar 2426003@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@SweetCaroline: I love the idea of Friday night picnics. Do you go somewhere or do them in your backyard?</p> <p>I just can't wait for all the things summer brings. Beaches, splash pads, getting ice cream at night, playing in the yard with the kiddie pools, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-experiences-with-your-lo-this-coming-year#post-2425994 Mon, 18 Jan 2016 13:06:35 +0000 regberadaisy 2425994@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Bao: DD1 absolutely loved helping us plant and maintain our vegetable garden last year! She got her own little watering can, shovel and hand rake set. Her favorite was probably eating all the veggies off the plants. ;) She loved seeing how they all seem to grow bigger overnight. :)@SweetCaroline: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-experiences-with-your-lo-this-coming-year#post-2425991 Mon, 18 Jan 2016 13:04:36 +0000 regberadaisy 2425991@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>She is going to her first live show this year for her birthday! I'm super stoked about that.<br /> Her first movie theater experience.<br /> Her first "friend" party.<br /> Toronto Zoo! It's much bigger than our zoo with a lot more exotic animals. It's only 1.5 hours away. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-experiences-with-your-lo-this-coming-year#post-2425982 Mon, 18 Jan 2016 12:58:01 +0000 mediagirl 2425982@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Camping! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-experiences-with-your-lo-this-coming-year#post-2425908 Mon, 18 Jan 2016 12:16:55 +0000 youboots 2425908@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>A dress up tea party!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-experiences-with-your-lo-this-coming-year#post-2425902 Mon, 18 Jan 2016 12:15:14 +0000 snowjewelz 2425902@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We don't really have funds for a big vacation either, so some small things I look fwd to this year that will be firsts - </p> <p>Zoo<br /> Aquarium<br /> Beach<br /> Maybe driving distance over night trip </p> <p>Just running around outside in the summer in general since now she will able to! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-experiences-with-your-lo-this-coming-year#post-2425899 Mon, 18 Jan 2016 12:14:38 +0000 youboots 2425899@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ice skating? Not sure if they will be old enough.<br /> Visit a community pool<br /> Have a friend or family member teach them something... Art class, how to fly a kite, etc<br /> Go berry or apple picking<br /> A family mini session, not exactly an experience but a memory. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-experiences-with-your-lo-this-coming-year#post-2425897 Mon, 18 Jan 2016 12:14:33 +0000 Finfan 2425897@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We will go to the beat at Lake Michigan too and probably Sleeping Bear Dunes while we visit my parents. </p> <p>We are going to try backyard camping with her this year! She loves to pretend to camp indoors. </p> <p>I was thinking of taking her to Michigan's Adventure too for the water park. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-experiences-with-your-lo-this-coming-year#post-2425893 Mon, 18 Jan 2016 12:13:18 +0000 Bao 2425893@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@SweetCaroline: @LuLu Mom: Yes, forgot about a garden! We were just talking about doing this...we had a huge fail one year but hoping to do just 2-3 things this year...and research easier things to grow ;) I kill a lot of plants... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-experiences-with-your-lo-this-coming-year#post-2425890 Mon, 18 Jan 2016 12:12:16 +0000 LuLu Mom 2425890@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Mini golfing, bowling, gardens (we have a really pretty garden close that LO loves to walk through and smell flowers/look at the fish in the ponds.) Venture to a different zoo (we have a small children's zoo but an hour away is the #1 zoo in the world from us so we go up there 1-2 times a year (it's an all day experience.) </p> <p>Splash parks/swimming, find outdoor carnivals/festivals, children's museums/animal museums. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-experiences-with-your-lo-this-coming-year#post-2425887 Mon, 18 Jan 2016 12:11:37 +0000 SweetCaroline 2425887@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Bao: I love this thread!</p> <p>Beach at Lake Michigan as well!<br /> Friday night picnics<br /> Swimming lessons<br /> Geocaching<br /> Parades<br /> Blowing bubbles<br /> Growing a garden </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/small-experiences-with-your-lo-this-coming-year#post-2425879 Mon, 18 Jan 2016 12:08:15 +0000 Bao 2425879@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Since we can't take any big vacations this year, I was trying to think of some fun experiences we could do as a family that don't cost much. A few things I thought of are:<br /> -The beach (we live just 40 minutes from Lake Michigan)<br /> -A drive in movie: maybe more for LO1 but we will see by this summer<br /> -Some different parks: We also tend to go to the same 2-3 parks, would love to venture out to some new ones.<br /> -A real picnic: We do a lot of picnics in the back yard, but packing up a lunch or dinner and going some place different would be fun. </p> <p>I would love to hear some ideas you may have, that I could add to my list! </p>