Christmas time is becoming more and more magical as my boys become a little older. I’d say this year was one of the best! Their ages are 3 and 4.5. Our top movies were Home Alone and the Grinch! Every car ride consisted of listening to the Home Alone soundtrack on repeat! Ernie the elf was a hit once again and no one cried to see Santa! It was all so perfect.
As the holidays came to an end, it got me thinking about what’s really important during the season. I feel like many of us get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season (myself included). From gift buying to running around from house to house! A few years ago the hubs and I decided to put an end to running all over the place. We decided to scale back on gifts also. The good news is that- if we set the expectations in the beginning, they have nothing to compare it to. No, I am not a grinch- but do my boys really need more legos, coloring books and stuffed animals? The answer is no! Do they love it all- of course!
What we did this year was extra special. We decided to replace the “gifts” with experiences! Did they have presents under the tree- of course! We still do gifts but just not overboard. My husband and I usually have off work between Christmas and New Years so why not plan a fun family adventure! We decided on Kansas City which is about 3.5 hours from where we live. We had such a blast that I thought I’d share all the details about or weekend here.
Our weekend itinerary:
Day 1: Arrived to hotel. Checked in and let the boys get their wiggles out by swimming in the indoor pool. We stayed at the Sheraton Suites right on the Plaza which was great bc during nap time mama got to shop!
We then went ice skating in Crown Center! It was they boys first time and one of them loved it- the other not so much! There was an outside area where the big tree was were the kids could play at- see pic below.
We then headed back to the Plaza where we took a carriage ride through all the lights! I’d recommend making a reservation in advance to make sure there’s a carriage available! It’s about a 30 min ride and once we were done we had all built up an appetite. We tried to eat at Jack Stack (famous KC bbq) but the wait was too long. We ended up at Q39 bbq which was just as delish! I’d recommend making a dinner reservation esp with kids!
Day 2: Attended LEGOLAND and Aquarium!
First tip is to buy tickets online bc there’s special pricing and packages! Also arrive early. We arrived at 9 am because my kids are early risers so this was easy for us. We didn’t have to wait in any lines and almost had the entire place to ourselves for the first hour. A pass to LEGOland includes all the rides and 3D theater (my personal fav). There’s a ton of restrooms and cafe to have a snack.
Once we finished at lego land we continued onto the Aquarium. They’re located in the same building and parking is easy. There’s a big garage to park in. The Aquarium had a fun stamp game to play that kept the boys on the right path 😂 and at the end if you received all the stamps you get a prize.
Keep your eye on the prize. Haha
We then finished the day at Fritzs for lunch in Crown Center. The cutest place that has a train deliver your food. It’s your typical diner. Hamburgers, milkshakes, and fries. The line is always long but I promise the wait isn’t as bad as it looks and worth it! I waited in line while the hubby walked around the mall with the boys. When we got close- I called him and on we went!
By this time the boys were exhausted and we went back to hotel for naps! They slept a for 2 hours 🙌🏻 We then visited an old friend and had pizza with all of our kiddos. Day 2 was over and everyone slept great. We did end up getting two joining rooms and I seriously think this was the boys fav part. They had their own room they shared and thought it was pretty cool.
Day 3: Wake up and walk to breakfast. Again I’d advise staying on the plaza bc everything is walking distance! Yes it was 20 degrees the weekend we went but we all needed the fresh crisp air! Pillow fights in the hotel room to get all the wiggles out before the car ride home!
The boys may have not received 100 gifts on Xmas morning but I promise they’ll remember these moments forever 🙂 Please feel free to reach out with any questions! I’d love to help plan your next trip to KC!
All my love,
Carley
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