KC Fun: Mini Golf

How many of you remember playing Putt Putt growing up? I had my 10th birthday party at Putt Putt and remember having a blast! There was an indoor space with tables and chairs where we had cake and opened gifts. I can't remember if there was food and drink, but there could have been. It was just up the street from the King Louis bowling alley and such a fun family activity. Since then, now that I'm older, my husband and I would occasionally play mini golf at an indoor entertainment spot in town, but they have since closed, and mini golf seemed to be a thing of the past. That is, until this past weekend!

A friend of mine posted a photo of her daughter playing mini golf about a week ago and I inquired about the location. Turns out, there is a mini golf place in Lenexa called Smiley's Golf Complex. I knew they offered a driving range and par three golf course, but I didn't know they had mini golf. Two courses to be exact! This past Sunday afternoon, we found our way to Smiley's and their super fun course!

There are two different mini golf courses. One is for the beginner and the other for the more advanced. We decided to tackle the beginner one first, just to see if McKinley even liked it. Turns out, he was pro! Definitely taking on the advanced course next time. And just like every other mini golf course in the country, there were fun, oversized obstacles, trick shots to make, and vanishing holes that led your ball to random parts of the green. So fun! McKinley decided he would take the lead, and would then try to continue on to the next hole without us! He was loving every minute. And Joel and I were having just as much fun watching him. And, if I'm being honest, we had just as much fun playing. Honestly, how can you not become a kid at heart while playing mini golf! The sun is shining, it's a gorgeous afternoon, and you're spending quality time with your family. Such joy!

Of course I took photos! Check out the fun!

And after you hit the shot through the bears legs, it only makes sense to crawl through them.....

There were two tombstones on the course and I loved that McKinley read each one aloud! Thank you Mrs. Warren!

The other tombstone and the vanishing hole!

I couldn't stop myself from singing "Octopus's Garden" after seeing this guy!

 

As soon as we reached this hole, McKinley shouted out that this is the same statue we saw at The Art of the Brick!

The last hole brought us Frankenstein. Check out McKinley's interpretation.

Joel brought along McKinley's clubs so that afterward he could hit a small bucket of balls, his first! He did great, once he finally got the hang of his swing. Lessons start at the end of June!  

After that, it was time to hit the road. We headed home for a very late lunch and I took a very long nap! Mini golf wore me out! 

If you are looking for some summertime fun with your family, head out to Smiley's! It's such a great family activity! And I for one am so glad to know that we have a mini golf complex in our midst. We will be there a lot this summer. Hope to see you there!

XO,

Andrea

Fall Family Outing

McKinley came home last Thursday afternoon from school with a low grade temp. By midnight it was 103.5! Yikes! It came out of nowhere. He was home from school on Friday and was a puny little mess. Saturday was much the same. He ran a low grade to semi-high temp all weekend. That is until late afternoon Saturday. His temp was finally 98.6 and it stayed that way through Sunday morning. With his fever gone, and this household being stir crazy, we decided to have an easy going family outing. We packed up and headed to the apple orchard!

Fall is one of my favorite times of year. The weather turns crisp. You finally get to wear all those comfy sweaters. Pull out the edgy leather jacket you've been missing. Oh, and all the boots are on rotation! I can't get enough. But it's also pumpkin patch and apple picking time and we spend all of our weekends doing family fundays. McKinley requested the apple picking outing and we had a blast! Joel had never been and I'm pretty sure he had fun as well. With the exception for climbing apple trees to get the best ones that were hanging out at the top. We found ourselves scraped and scratched, but it was worth it to hear McKinley direct us to the best apples in the orchard. (Note to self, don't wait until apple season is almost over! Or take an apple picking tool with you for those hard to reach fruits!)

Before heading out, I packed us a little picnic lunch. We threw several blankets, the wagon, and bug spray in the car and off we went. What did I love most? Seeing how many families were out there doing the same thing. It truly is a family bonding experience. Here are some pics from our afternoon.

We have officially kicked off fall! What is on your family agenda? Up next for us is visiting Johnson Farms for a little pumpkin patch picking!

XO,
Andrea

KC Fun - It's All About Fall

Tomorrow is the first day of fall, but Mother Nature sure didn't get the memo! With temps soaring into the upper 80s, and humidity making it feel like the low 90s, nothing about Kansas City screams fall. Except for the fact that it's Fall Festival season and we as a family can't wait to participate! If you're looking for family fun, or adult outings that won't break the bank, I'm bringing my favorites to you!

Let's start with this weekend. If you don't have anything planned, and you're looking for a fun family outing, hit up the Overland Park Fall Festival in downtown OP. I love this festival. There is literally something for everyone. If you're up early, say around 7:00, hit the Farmer's Market for some amazing fresh fruits and vegetables. I love this little part of town. Not ready for a 7:00 event. No problem. We won't be either. The fall festival really kicks off with a parade at 10:00 and who doesn't love a parade. I'm a major fan of any drum line and I love tapping my foot along to the beat. McKinley has never seen a parade and I'm making sure this group is out the door and there in time to see it. 

Music will follow you throughout the festival. Live bands play all day and they are awesome! Lunch with local food trucks, which we plan to do, and sit around picnic tables that are set up by the main stage. But, if you're like me and find yourself on a budge, no worries. Bring along a picnic lunch and set up camp along the grass that borders the event. Or, come after lunch and snack along the way. There are small events that take place all day long. McKinley loved the Stone Lion Puppet Theater. He laughed and participated in all the interactive play. Adults got a kick out of it as well. Find a seat along one of the many hay bales and watch your kiddo have a blast!

And if you're like me, and can't resist fried food, indulge in a funnel cake the size of your face! 

But if you find yourself looking for something that's a little more adult friendly, the Plaza Art Fair is taking place this weekend as well. This is a chic, festive, hip fair that brings all the "It" people! Friday night is the night to come and party it up with all the locals. Again, you will find yourself among local food trucks, but not just any food trucks, but restaurants from the Plaza itself. The drinks are flowing and the art is impressive. But come in your favorite flats because this is not the time to sport those stilettos! On the flip side, the fair isn't just for adults. Bring the kiddos, and a stroller, as the fair during the day is a fun family outing as well. However, you may want to bring your lunch and snacks for this one as there aren't very many kid friendly places to dine. I would definitely say this can be a budget friendly outing! Unless you find a piece of art you can't live without. Then you might need to consult the bank account!

I have already started to decorate my front stoop with all my fall favorites, but what it's lacking are mums and real pumpkins. I hit up my local Michael's recently and tried to recreate a gorgeous porch I found on Pinterest. I think it turned out really cute. However, with all the faux things that are out there now, I'm dying to go pick my fresh pumpkins. And my favorite place to the take the family is Johnson Farms! Haven't been, well I'm here to gush all over this family friendly farm. We've been going yearly since McKinley was six months old! It's truly our favorite place for fall. There is an admission to get inside the farm, but once there, the kid activities are abundant. A huge school bus filled with sand creates an awesome sandbox. There is a hay maze, a huge playground, wooden structures to climb, an inflated bouncy pillow, and so much more. Walk around the barn to see all of the barnyard animals. In the past there have been piglets and baby chicks. And whatever you do, don't miss the pig race!! Check out their website for race times. And you have to make sure to measure your kiddo every year! It's tradition. (As you can see, we missed a year as sometimes they just don't want to do it!)

Johnson Farms isn't the most budget friendly place to visit, but if you decide not to pick pumpkins, there is a little bit of savings. But, it's truly the best pumpkin picking patch around! Just look at that face above. 

Lastly, when looking for fall fun, we always go to Deanna Rose Farmstead. Pumpkin Hollow is the best. And the most budget friendly of all the activities. The admission to the farm is $2 a person. However, there is admission to Pumpkin Hollow and that's $8 for General Admission and $7 with a Friends of the Farmstead members. While visiting the hollow, your ticket allows kids to hop aboard the Pumpkin Hollow Express - a barrel train, pulled by a John Deere tractor, get lost in the corn maze, climb a hay pyramid, slide down the giant hay slide, and choose a pumpkin to take home. Seriously, this is so much fun and a place that McKinley visits more than once! 

 And during the weekend of October 20-21, you can visit the farm at night! Their Night of the Living Farm is super cool and not scary! We went for the first time last year and had a ball! Definitely something to add to the calendar. 

You can literally pack your calendar for the next several weekends, or through the entire month of October, with all the fun things to do around the metro. Some places I didn't touch on are Worlds of Fun, the Kansas City Zoo, Louisburg Cider Mill, Weston's Red Barn Farm, and the KC Pumpkin Patch.

Again, if you're working on a budget during the fall festival season, don't fret. You can head to some of these places in the morning in order to make it home for a family lunch. Or come with a picnic lunch and make it a family blanket dining experience. The zoo, cider mill, and Red Barn farm are perfect for picnics! If you have a family membership to places like World of Fun, the zoo, or Deanna Rose, you know that your admission is already taken care of. You're just paying for the few extras you plan to do that day. Or just pick one of your favorite places and make an entire day of it. No matter what you're doing, making memories is the most important thing! Make sure to pack that camera so you can document it all!

Happy Fall!

XO,

Andrea