I will be moving on to start a PhD in fisheries, and am excited to return to my roots, so to speak, and continue my career in salmon research.  Thanks to all of my customers over the years!  I sincerely appreciate your business.  Keep on renting from Parentals and watch it grow!

We learned about "R is for Reindeer".  The class started at 10am on Tuesday, the more animal oriented program, and was held in the Zoo Classroom.  The Thursdays is apparently more "nature" related, and is held in the Conservatory.  We sat in a powerpoint presentation, that was definitely kid-oriented with facts about reindeer.  The instructor made the presentation very interactive, and had lots of props to pass around so kids could touch and feel what he was talking about.  For instance, he told the kids that reindeer have four "toes" and then he passed around a deer hoof.  Similarly, he talked about and passed around antlers and a horn.  The kids focus stayed on the presentation, even with all the distractions in the room (it is surrounded by animals in cages).  Then the main event arrived, 2 reindeer were led to the classroom by 2 zoo keepers and the kids got to go outside and see them up close.  The zoo keepers answered all the questions the kids (and parents) had and there were photo ops.  We all then headed inside to wash hands and have a snack (fruit, crackers, cookies and juice provided by the zoo).  After snack, the kids could do two crafts about reindeer.  And then it was over, after 1.5 hours of entertainment.

We had a great time, the entire time.  I should have gone earlier so the kids could look at the animals in cages around the room before the class.  There were bathrooms in the classroom, so potty trainers were taken care of.  The two instructors were helpful and friendly.  The kids learned about the animals and it was very "hands-on".  The cost was reasonable as well at $10/kid (less if you were zoo members).  The only drawback was that the rest of the classes may be full.  But we'll sign up for the next session for sure!

The details:  There are school groups that attend as well, so it can get busy.  But there are lots of different things to do and the teachers and staff are great at enforcing taking turns, so it turned out fine.  We took our lunch and went upstairs to the lunch room to eat.  I also got the coupon out of the show and save (buy an adult admission, get a youth free for one venue), so it cost me $7 for the day.  And I had to pay for parking ($2).  We tossed around the idea of going to the Planetarium or the Museum as well, but decided against it and that turned out to be a good decision.  We were there 2 hours and used every minute of it in just the Science Gallery.  The Planetarium has good shows for preschool kids and also older kids.  The Museum might be a bit much for my young kids, but they would certainly enjoy the boat, which I remember as a kid myself.  Bottom line is that I am thinking of getting a family pass, which you can buy using airmiles as well.  We will be back!

And because I am in the business of family reunions, I wanted to be able to recommend a professional Winnipeg photographer to families so these moments with the grandkids could be captured and treasured long after they all fly home.

I have used one professional photographer in Winnipeg for all my "big" moments.  Joel Ross was the photographer at my wedding, he captured our new family when my oldest was a newborn, and most recently he photographed my newborn this month.  Joel takes amazing photos and has a way of making everyone feel at ease so that the emotion in each picture looks and feels real.  He creates works of art that can be displayed on a wall or mantle for years to come.  But, for me, it is Joel's personal service that makes him stand apart from the others.  He himself offered and then ran to the corner store on my wedding night to get my husband some cold remedies.   He also has seemingly endless patience while we decide which photos and what sizes to get each time we call on his services.  He has a flair for finding poses that fit each personality, and he has a talent for framing the shots.  This is why I recommend Joel Ross Photography in Winnipeg to my customers.  You can reach Joel via his website, or by calling 204-284-9884.

Line up early (1/2 hour before they open) so you get in first and have to wait in line ups less for the rides.

Although it may be a nice temperature when you start out, it will get cooler once the sun goes down, so bring some extra gear.

There will be lots of people.  So, plan for crowds - bring a stroller, a leash, or whatever you need to keep track of your toddlers.

Bring snacks and drinks if you want to be able to offer your kids some yummies.

Zoo Members get Boo at the Zoo tickets free as part of their membership.  So, if you like going to the zoo then it pays to be a member.

The Show & Save coupon book usually has a coupon to buy up to 5 tickets for $5 each.  The catch?  You can only use the tickets on certain days (and Toddler Tuesdays is not one of them)

Safeway offers tickets for $7.50.

Tickets at the gate are $10.

Everyone 2 and over needs a ticket.

 

We got there about 15 min after it opened on Saturday (11am) - and there were people everywhere!  It was quite busy.  However, after the initial shock, I was impressed how many staff there were, and how well prepared they were for the numbers of people that day.  There were 3 staff members directing traffic where to park.  There were 4 people taking admission (although the short admission line was for a private corporate party), and there was an additional person helping newcomers figure out where things were and pointing out the corn maze, petting zoo and bathrooms.  There were several more staff members in each section of the area, and everyone was very friendly and helpful.  Once we got through the line to pay, the people scattered and I didn't really notice how many were around.  

 

We immediately saw the hay rides as we entered, so we jumped on the wagon and hung on for our tour around the corn field.  The boys loved the hay ride - we sat up front (by accident) and the driver let the boys hold the end of the reins.  It was a relatively quick tour, but it was long enough for my small children.  The hay rides cost an additional $2.50 per person over the age of 2.  So, if you want to go on a hay ride, pay for them as you enter when you pay for admission.  There are pony rides as well, but we steered clear of those this time around.

 

Next, we headed to the corn maze.  It was impressively large.  We climbed the tower to get a look and then started on our way around.  We met up with lots of people wandering around themselves - the older kids were searching for clues to find 3 hidden golden corn cobs (a game they give you when you enter), and the rest of us were just wandering.  We had a break for lunch in the maze (we brought a picnic lunch, as usual), the boys loved picking up the corn cobs and showing us what they discovered, and we generally had a great time wandering in a corn field for about 45 minutes.  After that, we were done and we made a beeline to the exit (which was conveniently close to the tower, which you could see from anywhere in the maze, so it was next to impossible to get lost), taking some "short cuts" along the way and we emerged from the maze unscathed.  

 

The petting zoo was next on the list.  After a pit stop to the bathrooms (which were clean enough, pit-type bathrooms with large stalls and there was running (cold) water and lots of soap for the hands), we headed to the petting zoo.  The boys loved getting in the cages with the lambs and goats, my husband's shoelace was eaten by a pig (be warned!), and we saw alpacas and a pony from outside the fence.  Petting zoos are always a big hit with my kids, and this was no exception.  After the animals, we headed back to the hand-washing station and gave us all a good scrub.

 

Our last stop was the pumpkin patch, which was a large barn/shed filled with rows of pumpkins for sale.  The boys each picked out a pumpkin to take home (the rule was they could pick any pumpkin they could carry themselves), and the small one my 4-year-old found cost $3, while the smaller one my 2-year-old found was $2.  Buying a pumpkin earned a ride on the "pumpkin train", which was a small tractor pulling 3 seats with painted pumpkins on them, and it would take you out to your car.  That was the sketchiest part of our afternoon - it was being driven by a kid not older than 10, around all the parked cars and moving cars, filled with kids and a couple adults.  It couldn't get up the hill beside our car, so my husband had to get off with the kids and a parking staff member had to push the tractor up the hill.  Needless to say, my eyebrows were raised.  But my kids and husband made it back to the car and we were off after a good afternoon at the corn maze.

 

Some additional comments:  At $8.50 per person (over 13), and $6.50 per child (age 4-13), it was a bit on the spendy side of life.  Remember to add the $2.50 hay rides to the cost as well.  And the $3.00 pony rides.  And the pumpkins if you want to buy one.  That being said, there were lots of things to do and you could get your money's worth out of the day.  There was also a haunted forest (costs extra), which we didn't attend.  You could rent a barbeque location for a larger family gathering.  There was also a tower of hay bales that could be climbed.  They do take credit card, which was good because we never carry around cash anymore.  They also have an eating area and sell lots of different munchies including fries, hot dogs and other warm options.  Unfortunately, the eating area is on gravel, and there was lots of dust blowing around when we were there.  The parking was the only free thing, and there was ample parking.  

Have you been to this maze or another?  Have a comment?  Tell us!  Post on our Facebook wall or email sales@parentals.ca.

The biggest pull for staying at the Holiday Inn Fargo was their indoor waterpark - Shipwreck Bay.  It has 5 water slides, a pool, hot tub and lounging chairs.  My boys had a blast!  The hotel also supplied life jackets and had ample towels poolside. The pool was heavily chlorinated, so be prepared to leave several layers of skin behind if you swim, but judging by all the kids in the pool, the chlorination was necessary.  We stayed in poolside rooms, which I highly DO NOT recommend.  Little did we know, but the pool stays open until midnight on weekends and the constant noise from the commotion made it almost impossible to sleep.  To add to the annoyance, the hotel sets up birthday parties right in front of the hotel guest rooms, and people happily party and sing "happy birthday" literally 3 feet from your poolside window until the pool closes at midnight.  Oh, and yes, they are allowed to bring alcohol and the hotel actually sells beer in their poolside hut for those party-goers.  So, when I say they partied just outside my door, I literally mean they partied, and there wasn't much sympathy from the front desk staff.  However, every other aspect of our hotel experience was great.  I just will not ever get a poolside room again.

One challenge that we often face on vacation (as most families do) was the sleeping arrangements.  Our 2 year old boy is out of a crib (he can climb into and out of them on his own).  Our 4 year old boy and our 2 year old boy couldn't sleep in the same bed.  And I didn't think that sleeping with either child was a good choice for us parents, given how much the kids wiggle around in bed.  Besides, I have a rule in my own house that no child sleeps in my bed once they turn one, and I wasn't about to set a different precedent on vacation.  So, what to do?

I researched travel toddler beds and decided to try out the Original Tuckaire Travel Toddler Bed by The Shrunks.  I admit, I was a bit skeptical about it - I didn't know about having my toddler sleep on an air mattress.  However, it was absolutely fantastic!  First of all, the toddler bed is constructed of non-toxic PVC, and is free from phthalates, BpA and lead.  It inflates in seconds with the electric pump.  Standard crib-sized sheets tuck into the inner mattress, and the toddler bed even has "rails" so my toddler had a comfortable, safe, secure bed to sleep in.  It folds up very small, and easily fit into my suitcase.  When inflated, it was slightly bigger than a crib-sized mattress, so it fit nicely into our small hotel room.  My toddler loved having his own "big boy bed" in the hotel, just for him.  As a tip, I recommend bringing along some plug covers because there are few spots in a hotel room where it is possible to set up a toddler bed, and I can almost guarantee that there will be a plug nearby, exactly at toddler-level.  And yes, you can now rent a travel toddler bed (by The Shrunks) from Parentals for your next trip.  And you can rent plug covers too, if you need.

Happy Travels!