The Magic House St. Louis Childrens Museum Review

While we were in St. Louis, we had the opportunity to visit The Magic House which is St. Louis Children’s Museum. This was definitely Noah’s favorite thing we did. The Magic House is an amazing place. The whole building is full of hands on activities for kids to do. There were so many things to do. We didn’t get to do them all but we had a lot of fun. Everything was educational. I am a strong believer that children learn through play and using their imagination vs. sitting down and learning from hearing someone talk. It was really neat to see all the children learning without realizing it. We were lucky too because the staff was dressed up for Halloween and Noah was able to Trick or Treat some right in The Magic House.





We really enjoyed working on the car and changing the tires. We also loved fishing in the pond. There was a grocery store that looked like the real thing. Noah and I enjoyed pretending to shop and playing cashier. Another great thing about The Magic House is that you can just let your child roam free and you can just sit back and watch them explore. There aren’t lines you have to wait in. It is a really different environment than the other things we did. There were different rooms and just was really fun. Noah played with Legos for about a half hour with older kids. I love watching Noah interact with others. He has great ideas and is not really shy around other kids. He went up to them and asked to play with them. He was polite and shared well.



We loved the giant water table too. Although Noah had wet pants after that, next time we should do the water table last. He didn’t mind though. He had so much fun playing with the ducks and boats and just splashing around. There were water wheels too. I had to remind Noah to walk carefully in the room with the water table because the floor was wet wet wet. He kept going back to the fishing pond and fishing. He was so proud to catch fish. I was exploring a little too. I had my mom keep an eye on Noah and I went in the bubble room. I saw on the website you can be inside a bubble. I didn’t try to do that because there were kids trying to do it. I did try the other bubble activities. My only complaint was they needed to refill the bubble solution for each of the bubble activities. I was able to make some cool bubble shapes though.



When we were ready to go Noah didn’t want to leave, he wanted to stay there. I think he wanted to move in. I was thinking the whole time that they need to build one of these where we live. We have a children’s museum but it doesn’t compare to The Magic House. I also was a little bummed that we don’t live closer. I could see myself taking Noah to The Magic House on the weekends. I stopped by the gift shop and they have all kinds of cool toys. I found a few little things for Noah and a Magic House T-shirt. We waved good bye to The Magic House and talked about coming back again soon.

Thank you to The St. Louis CVC for sponsoring my family’s trip to St. Louis including tickets to The Magic House. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Headless Horseman at Conner Prairie Review

The day before Halloween, I had the opportunity to do something I had done many times before when I was younger. It was always my favorite thing to do around Halloween. I went to Conner Prairie to see The Headless Horseman. I used to go to The Headless Horseman when I was in Girl Scouts. I don’t remember how many times I have gone. I am so excited I got to go again tonight. It has been a long time since I have been to see The Headless Horseman ride. This is the 27th year that the Headless Horseman has been riding through Conner Prairie. They have more than just the Headless Horseman, they also have an Apple Store with fresh goodies, stories, and other events. I have faint memories of going when I was in Girl Scouts. I know we definitely went but I don’t really remember all the particulars.

I do remember coming back with my Girl Scout Troop and us “seeing” a headless man driving a car. I am certain now that he was not headless but you know he could have been The Headless Horseman’s victim that October night. I was so scared that night. Honestly when I was little I always covered my face when the Horseman made his ride. We go out on a hayride and all the sudden out of the darkness The Headless Horseman comes out to ride. It is not a mechanical thing. It is a real horse and a real Hessian that goes and collects the heads of bad boys and girls. OK, maybe not but you get what I am saying.

There were a ton of people at the Headless Horseman. I got there at 6 pm and there were really long lines. I managed to get an early hayride. The first thing I did what take a picture of the “hot air” balloon for Noah. He has seen it in the air so many times I thought he would love a few pictures of it, up close and personal. I am hoping next summer he is big enough to fly in it. So, it wasn’t dark at all when I went. That was kind of a bummer but at the same time I wanted to get home early enough for Noah. It was cool to be back in Prairietown after such a long absence. It looked the same as I remembered.

The hayride was eerie even though it was light out. It was fun to read all the signs, see the animals and just kind of relax. The Headless Horseman came and tried to take my head but was unsuccessful. I think that if you go to the Headless Horseman you should do a hayride after dark. On the other hand I wasn’t scared after the fact and probably would have been. There were children on my hayride and they were scared. It was a little annoying that kids that rode the night before would ruin it for everyone else. So, tell your kids not to ruin it and not tell others what is going to happen. It was fun and exciting. I also wasn't allowed to take any pictures or video even though the flash was off. I wanted to record the hayride but I wasn't able. I thought it would of been cool to show you first hand. That is part of the reason I wasn't bummed that it was still totally light out.

After I picked all the hay off of me, I went to visit the Mystic. I noticed her before I went on my hayride. The line was long when I got on the hayride and even longer when I got out. I spent at least a half hour in line. I love the Mystic. She is a cute little old lady. She was really nice. I was curious as to what my palm said. She said that I have a really long life line so I will live a long life, I have two profession lines, which is rare. I could be doing two things. I am doing one now but I could do the other and be successful too. She said that I will travel somewhere warm soon. She asked me to send her a postcard. You all know how much I love to travel. She told me I am waiting for “Tall, dark and handsome” which I am. It was all in fun and I am glad I took the time to meet with her.

They also had storytelling, The Disney Movie Ichabod and Mr. Toad, Scary-a-oke, a glow tent and other fun activities for kids. Next year I am bringing Noah with me. We will have fun. I also visited the Apple Store. I loved going to the Apple Store when I was younger. I ended up getting a cut apple with hot caramel on it in a bowl. It was very good. As I was leaving, I could hear the church bell and the wind howling in Prairietown. I could also hear people screaming.

Thanks to Conner Prairie Interactive History Park for inviting me to the Headless Horseman. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

No, I Will NOT Be Facebook Friends with You!

I have been thinking about high school or school in general. It has been 10 years since I was in school and really, not sure how it came up in my head but it just did. There are some pretty random thoughts in my head sometimes so why not blog about them. Two different things came to mind. The first one has to do with Facebook. It seems like almost everyone is on Facebook now. I like it, it is a great way to talk to family that I would normally not talk to. Not, because I don’t like them but because it is so easy to do on Facebook. I am sure I am not the first or the last to think about this but why do people add other people just because they went to school with them or they “knew” them in school. I can totally understand if it is like an old friend you lost contact with. That makes sense. I find it weird that people add people that they weren’t friends with or worse, people they never got a long with. That they hated for some stupid reason. I am all for putting the past behind me and not holding a grudge but really? I don’t really see the point. It definitely seems pretty hinky to me.

I don’t sit up late at night and wonder why so and so didn’t like me, but on the other hand I don’t search them out and friend them on Facebook, in hopes of some magical reunion to work out “our differences” from over 10 years ago. I guess if those people want to be “friends” with someone on Facebook more power to them. For example there is this girl I went to school with I will call her Bobby Sue for privacy reasons who added me as a friend on Facebook. I didn’t accept her request, for a few reasons. One being we were never friends and I couldn’t stand her. Now she just makes my skin crawl and I have no interest what so ever having anything to do with her. She makes my skin crawl because she worked at a brothel for a few years. I don’t want someone like that around my family or in my life. I have no desire to be “Facebook Friends” with someone I didn’t really talk to or wasn’t really friends with. I would much rather put it in my past and not deal with that person again. I totally understand that people change and all that but why even open up that potential Pandora’s Box?

It also leads to talking about being in school again and inquiring about or gossiping about other people. Things I rather not do with someone I wasn’t friends with in the first place. See, no matter how much you think someone has changed or how hard they convince you that catty high school girl comes back out. Of course I don’t mean everyone but more often than not it does. I am not sure if it is because you stir up old memories or feelings about then or what, but it happens. I’ll pass on being involved in all of that. I am not trying to sound like a cynic and I am sure some differences and new found friendships have blossomed on Facebook, it is just not for me.

Do you have any insights in to this? I look forward to hearing from my readers.