Impromptu Day Trip

Eric is on vacation this week so at the last minute today, we decided to make a trip to Cincinnati to go to Ikea and Jungle Jim's. We have been wanting to go for awhile and with the weather being nice, it just seemed like the right time to try it. We left right at Josie's nap time and so it worked out perfect and she slept almost the entire two hour drive there. Ellie even napped a little.

I was so happy to see this building! I love Ikea and am so happy that we have one even closer than Chicago now. We ate lunch as soon as we got there and then spent another two hours looking around. Josie loved the kids area and Ellie loved pretty much everything! It was like one big play house to her. She wanted to look at, touch, open, sit on, climb on, play with etc...everything! We only bought just a few things (mostly organizational items) but it was worth going just to see everything!

Ellie playing "kitchen".

Josie trying out a crazy seesaw.


Ellie at one of the many kid's stations strategically placed throughout the store. :)

Both girls enjoying suckers as a reward for being so well behaved at Ikea!


Next we went to explore Jungle Jim's for the first time. We knew we were pushing the girls limits by going but they did pretty well. We would have liked to spend more time there than we did (about an hour) but we at least got an idea of what all it has for the next time we go. Again, we only bought a few items.

Josie and Ellie at the entrance.

Ellie with her very own beer! It even has a picture of Charlie on it. :)

A glimpse (not even half) of the amazing selection of hot sauces available. Eric was in hot sauce heaven! (The huge firetruck on top was pretty cool for the girls.)


We had a great day and this impromptu trip was a nice way for us to realize that we can be spontaneous again with children. As the girls get older, there is a lot less planning and packing involved and so we are finally starting to enjoy a little more freedom. I love our family!