Crown Center Fun - Animal Tales & Trails

 Well, we are on snow day number two which will in turn give us a six day weekend.... We are going to need all the fun this weekend and thank goodness Crown Center has us all covered! I am so excited to partner with them again to bring you Animal Tales & Trails, the current free interactive exhibit located on their lower level. I snuck down this week to grab some photos, before McKinley had a chance to go, and he was beyond frustrated. Good thing we have an open weekend! We are going to tackle all the things Crown Center has to offer.

Animal Tales & Trails is incredibly interactive and will have your little ones running off all the energy! Monkey bars give them a chance to feel like they are swinging from vine to vine, crawl through tunnels on the floor like an ant, pretend to be a caterpillar, slide down an iceberg like a penguin, and set your sights high in an oversized eagles nest! 

And if that wasn't enough, you can make your way through the jungle, but not before wadding through alligator infested waters! Measure your height against an ostrich. Who's taller? Can you jump as high as a kangaroo? A trampoline might help! 

Make sure you are looking for all the little things as well. What else can you spot? I found a hopscotch, several mirrors inside the walls, and don't miss what's inside the alligators mouth! You don't want to miss anything.

I have to say, this wild exhibit is the bees knees....

The exhibit is now open and will run through May 1st! Head here to get any additional information.

Have fun exploring!

XO,

Andrea

*This is a sponsored post, but all photos and opinions expressed are my own.

Crown Center Christmas - Did You Know?

Did you know that Crown Center was named after the Hallmark corporate symbol? But before Crown Center, the area in which the shopping center stands, was once a part of the Union Square neighborhood. During World World I, downtown Kansas City was a hustle and bustle of businesses. But like everything else, times changed and by World War II, most families had moved out South leaving downtown to dry up. Hallmark maintained their headquarters, which opened in 1922, at 26th and Grand Boulevard, and was one of only a couple of businesses left standing in this vacant part of the city.

 Did you know that in 1966, Donald J. Hall, Sr. took over as President and CEO of Hallmark? His father Joyce Hall, wanted to develop an area around the existing headquarters, and Hall Sr took the reigns to develop the entire area. Over time, he acquired all the land around the headquarters and worked with local architects to create a "city within a city" concept. 

Did you know that in September of 1968 they broke ground and the entire complex was completed in 1971? There were five interconnected, seven story buildings that existed as office complexes. Today, there are three major law firms that reside in the office buildings that surround Crown Center Square. It also maintains Hallmark headquarters and our favorite spot for the holidays, Crown Center!

Did you know that Crown Center offers nearly 300,000 square feet of leasable space? And I can't wait to share some of my favorites soon. Places I love to shop, eat, and find entertainment are all housed inside Crown Center! This weekend, you can find so many new things to do! A Spectacular Christmas, brought to you by Musical Theater Heritage, opens this weekend and runs Wednesday through Sunday until the 23rd. This annual holiday show is a Crown Center tradition. It offers classic holiday tunes and original arrangements. There are some safety protocols in place, so make sure you head to their site to find out all the details and to get your tickets. 

Did you know choir performances are still taking place in the Atrium? Has your school performed this season? If you want to get a list of current, and upcoming performances, check the schedule here.

Did you know that Hallmark released their first Christmas card in 1915? A staple for our family, and now their line of ornaments, I find that I spend lots of time browsing the aisles of the Hallmark store on the second floor of Crown Center! I can truly get lost reading all the sweet sentiments, stocking up for birthdays and other occasions, and adding a few extras to the pile I've already created! 

Did you know that SpongeBob Square Pants lived in a pineapple under the sea? In the Coterie's current production of The SpongeBob Musical For Young Ages, SpongeBob proves to his friends that optimism can save the world! Get your tickets for this family fun event here!

Did you know that the Crown Center Fountain has 49 water jets and 48 water shooters that can shoot up to 60 feet in the air? And if you get there at just the right time, or stay for the next show, the water dances all around the square! It's so much fun to watch. And, they are currently playing lovely holiday music to help you stay in the spirit! 

Did you know that if you head down to Crown Center this weekend, you and your family will end up creating memories you didn't know existed? What are you waiting for? Get to Crown Center now!

XO,

Andrea

Crown Center Christmas - Santa's Arrival

 Today was a first for us. We watched Santa arrive at Crown Center! We got there early, not knowing what the crowd and parking would be like on the Friday after Thanksgiving, which was perfect. We were able to walk around and see all the new developments around Crown Center. So much has happened in the week since I was there. Let's take a peek!

The EBT Santa's Countdown to Christmas is up and running, and as of today, there are 28 days until Christmas! This laughing Santa is a long time holiday tradition. The history behind this display is so cool! He originally graced the window of Emery, Bird, Thayer (EBT) department store in downtown Kansas City in the early 1900s. After their doors closed in the 1960s, Santa sat in a lumberyard, with antique dealers, and finally with the late Jerry Smith. Smith was a well known KC toy collector and philanthropist who sold the piece to Crown Center in 1979. Fun Fact: Santa laughs 267,840 times per holiday season, which adds up to roughly eight times a minute! Whenever you come down, check out how many days are left until Christmas!

We headed outside to checkout the Mayor's Christmas tree and the large wooden toys underneath. They are finally in their place and McKinley took advantage of the early morning play time! He immediately ran to the firetruck, his all time favorite, and within minutes he was putting out fires all over the city. From there it was one toy after the other! We took the Crown Center Holiday Express to Florida, someplace definitely warmer than this chilly morning, and then the orange Jeep to our "hotel". This will definitely be our first of many make believe trips throughout the holiday season!

We made our way back across the street to take our place along the sidewalk to wait for Santa. We were joined by over 100 others, with some taking in the view from inside The Link to stay warm, all anticipating his arrival! And like clockwork, as 10:00 approached, Santa arrived on a horse-drawn carriage and invited everyone to follow him to Santa's Gingerbread Station where he will reside from now until December 24th at 5:00 pm. See the schedule below to add your visit to your holiday must-dos! Want to see Santa's arrival? Head over to my Instagram page to watch the video!

If you don't have any plans for this evening, head on down for the lighting of the tree! And if you can't that's okay, I've got you covered! Find it all on Instagram!

XO,

Andrea

*This is a sponsored post by Crown Center. All opinions and photos are my own.

KC Weekend Fun - Kansas City Boat & Sportshow

It's the first full Monday after the holiday/winter break, and I don't know about you, but I was ready to get back to a routine. I love being home with everyone, but it's so nice to get back to normalcy! And even though he would never admit, I'm pretty sure McKinley was ready to get back to school himself!

But now that we have all this "time on our hands", what are we going to do with it? Well, I have a list of all the things I want to accomplish this week, so that  when the weekend rolls around, I feel like I've earned a weekend of play! And when I say play, I mean it! Here's what I've got on my radar and you should to!

The Kansas City Boat and Sportshow is back and it's loaded with all the fun! This annual event is held at Bartel Hall and starts on Thursday January 9th and runs through Sunday January 12th. Check out the times below! 

Thursday, Jan. 9, 2-9 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 10, Noon-9 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 11, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 12, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

And here's what they have in store!

• New! Paddle Sports Pool, where attendees can get their feet wet checking out demos and testing a new Hobie or Jackson Kayak. Seminars and open paddle times will be posted on-site.
• New! Career Day, where students and job seekers can get career advice and hear about job openings from marine business professionals on Friday, Jan. 10.
• New! The Show Me Stage, where attendees can hear from fishing experts and watch fishing and casting demonstrations.
• Back by Popular Demand! Fred’s Shed, offering do-it-yourself enthusiasts and boat owners the chance to hear professional, practical advice on maintaining, repairing and upgrading your boat or motor.
• Boats & Brews, featuring live music, craft beer tastings and more on Friday, Jan. 10 from 5-9 p.m. Tickets will be available online.
• The Hawg Trough, a 5,000-gallon, fully stocked fishing demo tank with seminars from pro anglers – a chance to see firsthand how fish react to various rods and bait.
• KC Food Truck Mafia, serving up tasty, unique fare inside of Bartle Hall during the show from a variety of local food trucks.
• Willow Creek Trout Pond, where little ones can practice their angling skills for free, reeling in live trout.

I know that I am personally interested in the Paddle Sports Pool and watching McKinley at the Willow Creek Trout Pond! He's really taken to fishing when we vacation at my parents river house, so this will give him some practice before he head back down this spring. And he loves a good food truck, as do I!

To plan ahead, tickets are $12 for adults, and children under 12 are free. However, because you are followers of This Kansas City Mama, I've got a deal for you! Use this discount code to get a buy one get one ticket discount. Use code "BOATGO6" at checkout! And, if you really want to take advantage of a deal, head over to my This Kansas City Mama Facebook page to enter to win a family 4-pack of tickets!!

For additional information, head here! This page will give you all the details you need to plan your weekend and day of fun at the Kansas City Boat and Sportshow!

XO,

Andrea