February 2nd, 2012

Boston Stay-cation

Are you dreaming of a tropical vacation? Drooling over the commericals for a caribbean cruise?

Yeah, me too.

But time, budget, vacation days, and a whole of other factors usually keeps most of us in the “drool stage” only. But there are a couple of local options that may give you the break from daily life, even if it lacks tropical water.

Here are some great Boston hotel packages designed for families. Just in time for school vacation week!

Science Museum Stay and Play Package is offered by various Boston-based hotels so you can probably find one that fits the budget. Generally includes passes to the Museum of Science, transportation, overnight stay and breakfast, and the hotels are the Best Western Hotel Tria, Best Western Terrace Inn, the Omni Parker House, the Bullfinch Hotel, the Fairmont Copley and more.

The Colonnade Hotel Kids See & Do Package is an overnight stay with tickets to either the Children’s Museum or the New England Aquarium. Breakfast and a special gift for the kids rounds out this deal.

The Hotel Commonwealth Hotel for Kids Package includes cookies and milk, a teddy bear, a welcome backpack, complentary parking, and more. There is also a special Bedtime story PJ Event on February 24 and 25th that you may not want to miss.

The Lenox Hotel also includes Museum tickets in certain packages.

There is a great list on the Boston Children’s Museum Website with a list of Boston hotel packages that also include tickets to the Children’s Museum. The participating hotels include The Four Seasons, the InterContinential Hotel, the Liberty Hotel, the Seaport Hotel, the Park Plaza and the Ritz Carlton.

The Omni Parker Hotel has several kid-friendly packages either for the Duck Tours, the New England Aquarium or the Freedom Trail. Includes breakfast, milk and cookies, respective tickets and more.

The Marriot Boston Copley Place has deals just for February school vacation week where kids eat free, or you can get one room and get an adjoining room free.

So while it may not be a week long cruise or an all-inclusive stay at a tropical resort, these Boston Hotel Packages are a great and fun options for the whole family. Bon-Boston voyage!

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Note: Please check the respective websites for hotel availability. While Charlene Chronicles does its best to be accurate, special hotel packages may change so check the websites for up-to-date offers. If you have listings you would like to add, please contact me.

Image Credit: MEJones via stock.xchng.com

Disclosure: I received no compensation from this post.

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February 2nd, 2012

Super Bowl Ideas for Kids

Super_Bowl_Ideas_For_KidsThe Super Bowl can be a fun event to get the kids excited – even if your family members are not big sports fans.

Here are some fun Super Bowl Ideas for Kids to make the big game, big fun.

1. Buy some plain T-shirts at a thrift store or at a local dollar store. Then take some fabric markers found at stores like Michaels or AC Moore (worth the investment) and have the kids draw footballs, cheerleaders, the name of their favorite team, the number of their favorite quarterback, all over the T-shirts. They can sport their custom designed gear on the day of the big game.

2. Buy some pre-made sugar cookie dough and make football cutouts. Bake and then have kids decorate with chocolate frosting and white piping, to make football cookies.

3. As an alternative to cookies, make a sheet cake and then mix green food coloring into white frosting. Have the kids frost the cake green. Take white piping and make lines like you would see on a football field. For goal posts, take popsicle sticks, or lollipop sticks, and glue or tape together. Place on each end of the cake.

To make game day lunch or dinner into a Super Bowl feast, here are some ideas to serve up.

1. Make a fun football dip to serve with veggies or whole grain chips.

  • 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
  • 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup (4 ounces) provolone cheese, shredded
  • 1 cup crabmeat, drained, flaked and cartilage removed
  • 1 cup (8 ounces) 4% cottage cheese
  • 2 teaspoons seafood seasoning
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon prepared mustard
  • In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add cheddar cheese, provolone cheese, crab, cottage cheese, seafood seasoning, Worcestershire sauce and mustard; mix well. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
  • Form mixture into a football shape. Arrange some pretzel sticks over the top for football-like ‘laces’. Serve with crackers and/or vegetables. 

2. Make chili or chowder (or buy the stuff premade!) Buy boule bread and hollow out. Serve the chowder or soup in these “super bowls”.

3. Take brown construction paper and wrap around a juice box. Use a white crayon to create football ‘laces’ for a fun way to serve juice.

Serve the cookies or cake you made, wear the t-shirts, and get ready to root for your favorite team! For fun coloring sheets to keep them entertained during the game, visit my post here.
 

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