Freeform Friday

This weekend is our last hurrah before we return to work on Monday after another amazing summer. Luckily I have a girls night Saturday with the alluring promise of a cool frosé (or two or three) for each of us.

I hope your weekend is a good one, and I hope you enjoy clicking through these links:

I've made this simple pasta dish about once a week ever since cherry tomatoes showed up at the Farmer's Market. 

These sleeping baby pictures are whimsical and fun.

The state of Michigan cleaned house at the Olympics.

Speaking of Michigan, say yes! to each of these frosted glasses.

This vajingle is hooha-riffic.

Balloon letters at their best.

Feeling excited for our next book club book, another hit from Erik Larson.

This is why high school seniors are awesome.

Unearned white privilege in action. Gotta pair this with the McIntosh article in class this year.

(Photo of Ingrid Bergman looking as good as I hope to feel after several glasses of frosé this weekend.)

The Buddy Bed: Best Use for a Repurposed Crib Mattress

When my youngest transitioned out of her crib, I scorned the idea of throwing out the expensive mattress and felt a little icky selling something that had been so, well, clean but previously peed on.

I put her cutest crib sheet on it and shoved it under her bed, vowing to think of something to do with it. Inspiration struck a short time later when my pre-school aged niece spent the night. She opted to sleep in our loft on the couch, but she then insisted on sleeping on the floor.

Remembering the spare crib mattress in the other room, I pulled it into the loft to reveal The Buddy Bed. It was more than big enough for her, and she loved sleeping on it.

We use The Buddy Bed for visiting cousins who spend the night, when one of our kids is sick and wants to sleep in our room, and occasionally for my daughter's naps when she just wants a change of scenery from her regular bed. After an ear ache left her cranky and sleeping in our room on The Buddy Bed, my five-year-old even begged for a turn on The Buddy Bed.

I think half of the reason The Buddy Bed is such a hit is because of the name. It just sounds fun.

What have you done to repurpose your old baby gear? Do you have an inventive use that gives new life to baby products?

Bedford Springs: A Grand Hotel in the Mountains

While many midwestern families are drawn to the stunning Great Lakes for vacations, an escape to the mountains is a nice change of pace.

Ninety minutes southeast of Pittsburgh, Bedford Springs is a stunning historic resort situated on and around eight mineral springs in the Allegheny Mountains of Pennsylvania.

We dined at Bedford Springs several times when my sister lived in Maryland, and my husband and I stayed at the resort with our kids for the first time in June. We loved it so much that we booked a stay for twice as long in August, and it's easily our new favorite vacation spot. I've been to the resort in every season, and the hotel is beautifully decorated for each.

Here are some reasons we keep coming back to Bedford Springs: 

Two beautiful pools. Both have comfortable loungers and upscale, timeless designs. The outdoor area has poolside service and breathtaking mountain views. The indoor pool is spring fed (and heated!) and has some of the most beautiful tile and architecture I've ever seen in a pool.

Lawn games like corn hole and horseshoes and a couple giant, comfy hammocks. These entertained my kids for hours or even a couple minutes as we waited for the car to be brought around. (Did I mention that there's complimentary valet parking at the resort?)

Hiking to springs and caves that range in ability level from short and simple to strenuous and challenging. This spring, in the wedding grotto, is about five minutes from the front door of the hotel.

Historic plaques and markers are dotted throughout the hotel and draw you in like a good book. If you're at all interested in American history and American presidents, you'll love reading them, too.

Cozy chairs and nooks throughout the hotel that beg to be lounged in for hours while you read your book. The entire hotel is so thoughtfully and beautifully decorated, and the staff so friendly, that you really feel welcome to make yourself at home wherever you please.

Great restaurants and attractions onsite and nearby.

We really enjoy the Frontier Tavern at Bedford Springs. They have seasonal menus, and it's reliably good.

In downtown Bedford we loved the sandwiches, burger, and duck fat fries at the Golden Eagle Inn. The dining room decor is akin to eating at your fancy grandma's house, but the food is much more modern and thoughtfully prepared than the decor suggests.

If you take Pike south out of downtown Bedford, you'll pass a kitschy coffee pot roadside attraction on your way to two great dining options.

Horn O Plenty is a farm to table restaurant in a historic building with a charming interior, inventive offerings, and a menu that changes daily in order to utilize the freshest ingredients. Their cake with fresh peaches was one of our favorite foods from our entire vacation.

The Jean Bonnett Tavern is another local favorite that we've been to several times, and it was our favorite restaurant from the entire trip. The tavern dates to 1762 (George Washington and his troops stayed here!) and does a great job embracing the old and new. The first floor is like dining at a historical museum (similar to the Eagle Tavern at Greenfield Village); it's dark and cozy with candle light, huge hearths, and heavy pewter dishes. The second floor also has huge fireplaces but is open and brightly lit by huge windows as well as a breezy porch when the weather is nice. The menu uses local produce, and everything we had was outstanding. Other notables about the menu: the kid's menu is generous and varied. The desserts are homemade and tasty. Leave room for old fashioned oatmeal pie.

We took a short driving trip to see covered bridges. There are three not far from the Jean Bonnett and a map to take you further afield if you're in the mood.

In short, Bedford Springs is an outstanding resort unlike any other I've been able to find. It somehow manages to be family friendly, perfect for couples, and priced in a range that makes it feel luxurious while being no more (and sometimes less!) than a hotel in a beach town during high season. 

What attractions have you enjoyed in and around Bedford? Do you have any other historic resorts you've been to and enjoyed? 

Interior pool photo by Bedford Springs; Jean Bonnett photo by the tavern. 

All other photos by Aimee Eldon. Find more on Instagram. 

Freeform Friday

We spent a wonderful week at a historic hotel in the mountains (post coming soon), so we'll spend the weekend catching up around the house and snuggling with the dog. Lounging by a spring fed pool is grand, but so is sleeping in your own bed with no kids in the room. I hope your weekend is a good one, and I hope you enjoy clicking through these links:

This Dutch baby is super fast and easy to make for breakfast; I topped ours with fresh cherries and powdered sugar.

We had oatmeal pie for the first time while on vacation, and I'm excited to try to recreate it soon with this recipe.

I am terrible at making time for television, but I'll be sure to carve out time for a new season of this show. 

This play on words made me snicker.

Are the different bib fonts at the Olympics driving you crazy, too?

Pony Boy is 50!

Freeform Friday

I've been doing some heavy assessment work with a dynamic group of teachers this week, and I'm looking forward to a restful weekend full of watching the Olympics, hitting up the pool, and talking about a great read (that I just finished last night!) at book club on Sunday. I hope your weekend is a good one, and I hope you enjoy clicking through these links:

I'd really love it if my boss (hell, all bosses!) sent out this list of expectations on work/life balance.

I want to use these cheery decorations for my next party.

The look on this mom's face is timeless (and the commentary hilarious).

I caught Hitchcock/Truffaut this spring in the theater, and highly recommend checking it out on HBO.

I'm super excited for this new stop-motion film.

American politics aren't the first to have crazed men grasping for power.

I really with I had this shirt for an Olympics viewing party I'm going to this weekend.

My favorite record breaking at the Rio Olympics thus far.

Boden added a ton of great items to an end of the season sale, so I finally bought this lemonade yellow dress.

Beach Life: Must Haves for Fun on the Lake

Living in the Great Lakes State means that you're never far from splendid fresh water that you'd be remiss to miss out on. Michiganders also know that even though school starts after Labor Day, there are still plenty of swimmable days left in September. So, get yourself to the lake and get yourself some fun toys to make the most of it. 

Here are our favorite toys from this summer: 

Water toys are always a hit, and this alligator float doesn't get old. We had one as kids and always fought over it, so now we have one for each kid. At less than $15 each, that's an easy problem to solve. 

The Water Mat made playing in the lake insanely fun. My mom took the plunge and bought one after a friend of hers raved about it being the best lake toy ever. And she was right. It was great when the water was calm and wildly exciting when the waves of the lake made it like a roller coaster.

Sand toys are a must. My kids especially like decorating these cupcakes, and as mentioned in an earlier post, I like this packable pail that packs flat.

I've tried a million sunscreens, and Think Baby is my absolute favorite. It rubs in easily, smells good, and has great longevity.

I love my new Hatley bag for toting all of our things to the beach; it has an interior zippered pouch for sunscreen, cell phone, and keys. It's also big enough to fit three or four towels.

What are your must-haves for the beach?

That's a Tool, Not a Toy

"That's a tool, not a toy."

This is a mantra that I repeat frequently when curious kids want to pick up everything in sight and, well, play with it.

I'm all for banging on pots and pans or stacking every plastic storage container pulled out of the cupboard, but sometimes kids pick up things that are off limits. This is when I chime in with my trusty saying I came that I coined years ago. "That's a tool, not a toy."

This goes for the universal remote, scissors, metal tape measure, vintage typewriter, and every other thing my kids grab that can easily break or injure unfamiliar, inexperienced hands. It's not to say that they may never touch those items. Rather, it's imparting the knowledge that different objects have different functions and not everything is a kid-friendly toy.

What tips do you have for helping kids understand that not everything they want to play with is a toy?