So the other day the little guy and I went over to Barnes and Noble to look at books and play at at the Thomas the Train table. La La La..everything was going great. The little dude was playing with a slightly older dude and they were both running the trains every which way and then….cue Jaws music…

A kid who was about 2 years old comes over to the train table. Initially, he looked innocent. Then, he beelined for my little guy and smacked him over the head. Thwack! My eyes went wide in disbelief and I sat there dumbfounded. Did that really just happen????

I think so because my little guy looked at me so sad and with his mouth all scrunched up they way he does before he cries, which is a very rare occurrence. Once I got my bearings back, I looked at the mom and she says that my son must have riled up her son. What?!?!?! Seriously lady?!?!? My kid is one and was playing right in front of me with another kid when your son marched over and popped my kid on the head. Trying to keep my composure, I took a deep breath and encouraged my little senor to resume playing with the trains. And then it happened again…the terrible two year old marched right back over to my kiddo and went to whack him on the head again.

This time, I grabbed his hand midair and told him that it is not ok to hit other kids. The mother just stood there and never once offered an apology. This time I gathered my things and we left the kiddie area of the bookstore. Is this normal? I was so riled up after this event I didn’t know what to do with myself. What do you do? It was after this episode, I realized how strong my maternal instinct is to protect my kid. It makes perfect sense to me when people say they would go to the ends of the earth for their kids

Moms has this happened to you?  What did you do?

I was thrilled when the announcement was made last Summer that Diane von Furstenberg was partnering with GapKids on an amazing Spring collection!

Well more details are now available about DVF for GapKids and BabyGap, and the official U.S. and Canadian launch will be March 15th. I plan to be first in line to shop!

According to DVF…

The collection, which ranges from newborn to age 14, is so chic we can’t take it! From a youthful play on the wrap dress, to jersey rompers for toddlers, and a navy stripe seersucker blazer complete with the DVF mantra “Love is life,” the pieces are classic DVF.

You can watch the preview video and get your own sneak peeks here at GapKids!

More details to come as further pictures and information is released!

Anna Sui

Micheal Kors

Zac Posen

Tory Burch

Naeem Khan

Tommy Hilfger

Lela Rose

Carolina Herrara

Carolina Herrara

Nicole Miller

Diane Von Furstenberg

Diane Von Furstenberg

Which is your favorite dress? 

Meaningful: 1. having meaning 2. having serious, important or useful quality or purpose.

What happened in the last year that was important, was useful and had quality and purpose?

My most meaningful moment of last year was a trip I took to Cabo, Mexico. Yeah, I know what you’re thinking, a trip to Mexico was meaningful? Really? Yes.

It happened to be a trip that i didn’t even know that I needed physically, emotionally and spiritually. What I thought was going to be a regular ol’ press trip (with total strangers) turned out to be an incredible 4 day healing process for my mind, body and spirit. I was able to be completely alone, no responsibilities, no pressure and nobody to take care of other than myself. A funny thing happens when you are left all alone, you let go, you let your guard down, you relax and you can just breathe.

The entire experience was incredible; being pampered, being wined and dined, drinking to much tequila, dancing, running on the beach and sailing. I also met and got to know some very kind and interesting people, I think it was the comfort of strangers that also made this trip so meaningful. I laid on the beach listening to the ocean, running my fingers through the sand and let my body bake in the sun. I cried, and cried and cried.

It was quiet, my mind was free and it was as if every single emotion that was built up in my body was being released. I let go of everything. I left a pile of fear, anger and sadness on that beach in Mexico. The four days I spent on this trip completely lifted me, it was exactly what I needed. What seemed like a lucky press trip actually turned out to be a significant moment in my healing process, it was practically an outer body experience. I knew I was exactly where I was suppose to be at exactly the right time.

I would say that that trip was very meaningful, important, extremely useful, and served its purpose. It was meaningful.

Tell me what your most meaningful moment was in the last year for a chance to win one of 10 complete skin care Anti-Age Systems from Meaningful Beauty.

Keep your skin looking great in every moment with Meaningful Beauty- Cindy Crawford’s break through secret for younger looking skin.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Meaningful Beauty. The opinions and text are all mine. Contest Rules.

I have built a business on leveraging social media and I get asked a lot of questions, so I thought maybe I should just write some of this stuff down.  These are not wikipedia or google definitions and this is not the only way to do it – but it is the savvy sassy way.

What is a Twitter Party?

A twitter party is a conversation that takes place on twitter by using a # hashtag.  A twitter party usually happens on a certain day and at a specific time.  A twitter party is just like any other social engagement or get together you might attend in real life except you can be in your pajamas and fuzzy slippers.  Usually there is a blog post that announces the party and acts like an invitation.  The basic who, what, where, when, why still applies even for an online party.  The conversation is guided by the twitter party host or hostesses.  These twitter parties can also be called  a twitter chat.  Twitter parties can be just a fun conversation or they may have more of an agenda and can also be used for educational purposes.

Hashtags #:  There are hashtags for a variety of topics and for many reasons.  There are ongoing hashtags that you can search to find people that are talking about a topic you might be interested in or a certain trending topic, news story or even your favorite tv show. Examples:  #breastfeeding, #savvyblogging, #travel, #fashion #kids #grammys #oscars and even hashtags just for fun like the popular #justsayin for when you have a random thought.

Hashtags for twitter parties are usually temporary unless it is a reoccurring party that happens weekly or monthly.  Die hard fans of popular tv shows will use hashtags during the show to comment about the show or talk smack;)  the #bachelor hashtag is a perfect example.  Real life events will also have hashtags so that everyone attending that event, party or conference can communicate and share details or important information for that event.

Why are hashtags important?

They allow you to sort or clear your twitter stream so you will only see those tweets that are relavant to that conversation or topic. Another reason hashtags are important are so brands and companies can track the conversation and see the statistics of that hashtag.

How do you track a Twitter hashtag?

There are a few tools to track social media reach and hashtags.  Three common ones are TweetReach, Social Report and Hashtracking.

How can I participate in a Twitter party?

You join a twitter party by simply searching the #hashtag in the twitter search box and follow what is being said and tweeted with that hashtag.  You can join the conversation by just simply using that #hashtag in your tweet.   These are public, so just jump in, reply to someone, click on articles or blog posts that relate to the party’s topic or just read and observe what is being said.

Twitter Party Tools:  Tweedgrid, Hootsuite, Tweetdeck and Tweetchat.  The tool I use for all my twitter parties is TweetGrid.  It will divide your twitter stream into 3 neat columns so you don’t miss a thing during the party.  Simply go to TweetGrid.com – click PARTY and  then this form will appear and you just fill in the blanks!

*Important:  TweetGrid will need you to login and connect to your twitter account before you can start tweeting.  Click the BLUE Login.  It will ask for you to authorize the twitter app with your twitter password.  Then you are all set!

*The hashtag will automatically be attached to all your tweets so you do not have to keep re-typing it.

After you login / autorize the twitter app, you will see 3 columns:

Left Column:  Tweets from anyone using the party #hashtag
Center Column: Are the Tweets from the twitter party host/hostess
Right Column:  Is anyone that replies directly to @you

Sponsors:  Yes, twitter parties and chats can be sponsored, but do not let that deter you from joining.  Sponsors want to engage and join a conversation typically that is in aligned with their brand.  Twitter parties are a perfect way to interact with products, brands and services, they should add to the party not control it.

Prizing:
During the twitter party there may be prizes to win!  You can win by simply participating  or answering certain questions attached to prizing.  The host usually begins the tweets associated with the prizes with Q1, Q2, Q3 etc… and the winners are drawn randomly.

RSVP:  Some twitter parties require an RSVP and all you need to do is link up your twitter handle.  I use Simply-linked.com for all my twitter parties.

Example: 
Link Title:  Is your twitter handle @savvysassymoms
E-mail:  Will not be displayed or distributed
URL:  http://twitter.com/savvysassymoms

Now you are ready to Party!

Was this helpful?

Have you ever attended a twitter party?

Got a tip for attending twitter parties, please share it below!

pediped Spring 2012 for the little man or the little lady in your life!

If you are a parent, chances are you know how frustrating footwear can be on little toes. Finding the perfect pair of shoes is SO hard!  Sure, you may have found the most adorable pair, but getting them on and getting your little one to wear them is another story. I have gone through so many pairs of cute shoes only to find my kids screaming in agony or literally hurling them across the room.

Fortunately for us, there is pediped® footwear. It is the next best thing to bare feet! With a combination of comfort, quality and style these shoes are a must have for kids. pediped® footwear is made with premium grade, non-toxic leather. Foam insoles & cushions provide a comfortable fit, along with padded heels to absorb shock. pediped® simply offers the ultimate in comfort and protection while promoting healthy foot development.

With over 120 fashion‐forward styles to choose from, pediped® strives to give parents the look they want, at a price they can afford, all the while being healthy for children’s feet.  Comfort is so important to me and my baby, especially at this early stage of life when he is just starting to learn how to operate his feet. I love how strong yet soft and flexible these shoes are. Not to mention, they are more durable than some of my own shoes! My little guy usually tries to rip all of his shoes off, but with the pediped® shoes he forgets that he is wearing them. These shoes are awesome and we LOVE them! Check out pediped® and all of their adorable styles of shoes at pediped.com

*pediped originals with the new and improved slip resistant leather soles make their debut in pediped’s Spring/Summer 2012 collection.

Become a pediped Insider on www.pediped.com to be the first to know about special promotions, new product introductions and more.  We gave pediped a like on Facebook and you should too!

 Long Beach Half Marathon – 3 months pregnant

1.  Training is key, you have to train.  I ran my first half marathon with no training and everything in my body hurt, it was awful.

2.  Increase your mileage but don’t be afraid to switch it up.  Run 5 miles but then go back down to 3 then run 5 miles then go back down to

3.  Find a running partner or join a training group.  You can find training groups almost everywhere, search for a local one in your area.

4.  You have to find the time and make it a priority.  I’m a Mom and business owner, I know how busy life can get but I find the time.

What shoes do you run in?

I train in Nike running shoes but race in Asics.

What is good to eat the night before running a half marathon and what should I eat the morning of the run?

For dinner fill up on carbohydrates, pasta and bread!
Breakfast should be a light.   Fruit, a bagel and water.  No coffee. I also like to drink a Gatorade Fuel before the run.

If you are in the Los Angeles area and want to register for the Hollywood Half Marathon, 10k,/5k Walk or the Kids Fun Run visit the website for more details!  50 more days to go…

10 Spring wedges that would look good on my feet! (and yours)
Just click the image to scroll through the gallery. 

$69.00

$110.00

$55.00

$26.99

$69.00

$69.00

$89.95

$24.99

$118.95

$149.95

Which pair of spring wedges are your favorite?

Chinese Laundry $69.00
Indigo by Clarks $110.00
LuLu’s Rocket Dog $55.00
Payless American Eagle $26.99
Kensie Girl $69.00
Coconuts $69.00
Nine West Linger $89.95
Payless Cork Wedge $24.99
Vince Camuto $118.95
Sam Edelman $149.95

As a mom, I fall victim to something called the Four Meal. Even if you aren’t familiar with it, it probably happens in your house right under your nose. The Fourth Meal is that meal that you consume based solely on scraps from your child’s plate – sandwich crusts, a few bites of mac and cheese, a cookie here and a cracker there. It all adds up. The problem is that it’s hard to keep track of everything that we eat through out the day when constant snacking sabatoges our good intentions of healthy eating.

In steps MyFitnessPal.com. I’m not kidding when I say that this site literally changed the way I think about food on a daily basis. It’s free and easy to use and if you have an iPad or an iPhone, there’s a fancy app to go along with the online service. Simply input your height, weight, age and gender and your perfect daily calorie allotment will be totaled based on whether you want to loose weight or maintain.

You then log in every single thing you eat in one day. Don’t worry about trying to figure out how many calories are in that bowl of cereal you just had. Chances are the food is already in their amazingly comprehensive online database.  With every entry, you can see just how many calories you consumed versus how many you have left for the day. There’s never any question about what you can eat and what you can’t.

It’s not too late to jump-start your New Year and get back to your old sassy self with this new savvy site. Check it out and let us know how it works for you.

My lifesaver - MyFitnessPal.com

I was lucky enough to get to sample some of Katie Nguyen’s (founder/designer of kangacoo designs) adorable girls clothing from her Spring 2012 line this past week, and I (as well as my very girly daughter) am hooked! Katie manages to perfectly combine unique, runway-esque fashion with washable and wearable qualities.

When my daughter first laid eyes on her ruffle leggings and kanga girl shirt she was immediately taken with them (as any pink-loving, ruffle-wearing girl would be). I was concerned that although Tatum loves to dress girly, she can also be pretty rough-and-tumble, and I was certain she would leave the clothes unrecognizable and beyond repair after an hour. She did manage to get a few stains on the shirt and the leggings, but after a quick wash they were good as new.  The material of the shirt and leggings are comfortable and versatile enough for little ones to run, play and jump, but they still look chic and on-trend. The perfect combination for your budding fashionista!

Check out all these adorable outfits and Enter the Giveaway Below!

kangacoo Giveaway!

WIN a $50 Gift Certificate to kangacoo designs 

To Enter:

1.  Check out the kangacoo esty shop and tell us which item you are dying to have.

2.   Follow @kangacoodesigns on twitter

Extra Entries:

3.  Like Kangacoo Designs on Facebook

4.  Like Savvy Sassy Moms on Facebook

5.  Pin It!  Pin a picture from this post and leave the link that you did so.

*Giveaway ends February 24th at 11:59pm PST
*Giveaway open to US and Canada

The holiday season has come and gone but today felt like Christmas to me!  I watched as my kids walked into Best Buy and bought their very own Kindle Fire.  Yup, they saved their past birthday money, Christmas money from the relatives and other miscellaneous small chore money, put it all together and bought a Kindle Fire.

We were not able to spoil the kids and buy them everything they wanted for Christmas, in fact we did not have much to spend at all.   Santa was a very light this year.  This made me feel bad, and that somehow Christmas was ruined because they would not have tons of awesome gifts to unwrap.   Typically in years past we would have totally just ran out and bought the latest tech toy for them without even thinking about having them save for it or earning it.  It’s as if we all just seem to buy whatever our children want,  when they want it and no questions asked.  Trust me, we were very guilty of doing this in the past.  My son has literally even said “Moms the buyer” (gulp)

Sure, we could have just ordered it online and it would have magically appeared on our door step, but we wanted to take them through the entire process.  We literally went to the bank and got the cash out of their savings account.  McKenna was putting down $120.00 for the Kindle Fire and Hudson was giving $100.00.  (Yes, she has a bit more ownership and she knows it;)  Then we walked them into Best Buy and showed them the price and took them to the register to physically pay for it themselves.  Having them hand over the cash was a magical moment for me.  That is what it is suppose to happen when we want things.  We work hard, we save and we have to make choices.

McKenna (7) had a lot of opportunities to spend her money on other things, but she wanted that Kindle.  Her mind was made up, she sacrificed, she was patient and kept her eye on the prize.  Now, Hudson (5) would have blown all his money on Chuckee Cheese tokens so clearly we put away some of his money without him even knowing he had it.  Not only have my kids learned a valuable lesson but I was reminded of this very important lesson as well.  I was so proud of them and well “us” as a family it gave me goosebumps.  I could have cried (seriously).  I will never forget today and I hope they won’t ever forget it either.

Chevron Brown and Orange pleaded handbag $65.00

Chevron Address Mailing Labels $13.75

William and Cindy $8.99

Sweet Potato Shop Chevron Birth Announcements $10.00

Kitchen Art prints set of 6 (8 x 10) $48.00

Chevron Carry On Hobo Bag $65.00

Green Chevron Peasant Dress for girls $42.00

Bag Envy grey clutch $14.00

Its a booster seat in a backpack!  Sitting Taller Kids is a unique booster seat for kids that might not want the “babyish” booster seat but still could use a little boost to make them taller.  They can be used at restaurants, the dinner table, the movies, a picnic table at the park or over at grandma’s house.  They are made from recycled rice bags with cotton covered and a dacron wrapped furniture grade foam pad.  They will make a petite child 4 inches taller.  Not only are these a handy little helper but they are a booster seat that gives back.  These seats are hand made from women who are vulnerable to sex trafficking but thanks to an organization called the Nomi Network, they are given job opportunities and life skills.

“The Nomi Network, is a wonderful organization that helps to rescue girls and young women who have been victims of sex trafficking and teaches them to make handbags. Paying them a living wage and teaching them a skill allows them the means to become independent. I designed a sample backpack and the wonderful women at Nomi made it.”

More about the Nomi Network

These booster seats that give back are available online on the
Sitting Taller Kids website and retail for $49.99.

I am teaming up with the Pin Savvy Social team to host a one of a kind “We Love Pinterest” Valentine’s Day party just for all of you savvy shoppers and Pinterest lovers out there.

Here is what we have in store:

Who: Pin to Win giveaways from 31 Bits, Layla Grace and Shop Suey

What: A twitter party where all you have to do to be eligible to win fabulous prizes is visit our favorite shops and pin what you love! Giveaway items include:

2- $100 gift certificates to 

2- jewelry pieces from

2- handbags from

When: February 14, 10 am PST/1 pm EST

Where: On twitter, follow hashtag #PinSavvy

RSVP: To participate and be eligible for prizes, you MUST leave your twitter handle in the link up below.

*US Residents Only

How to PLAY “Pin it to Win it”

We made 60 of these in no time.  Perfect for classroom Valentines!

Materials:

Dot Art –  We already had.  If you do not have, buy at Michaels or Amazon.com
Scissors
Hole Punch
Markers
Cardstock paper  ($3.99)
Lollipops  $2.00 per bag ($6.00)

Total Cost for 60 Valentines = $10.00 and some change.

How To:
It’s pretty self explanatory (that’s how easy it is) but…

1.  Fold card stock in half and cut out hearts.
2.  Have kids apply dot art  - let them go wild!
3.  Have child sign their name or write a message on the hearts
4.  Punch 2 holes in hearts
5.  Place Lollipop through the holes.

Photo Source:  OurCityLights.org she used FolkArt Chalkboard Paint.

After a little digging I found a company that makes 30 different chalkboard paint colors!   But, wait there’s more…the name of this paint made my heart skip a beat.  They named it after my son, Hudson! Yup, Hudson Paint.  I think I’ll be buying this brand, I mean if I didn’t what kid of mother would I be?

Savvy Sassy Suggests:  Using colorful chalkboard paint on doors, glass jars, metal storage bins, serving platters, flower pots, dresser drawers or maybe even a kids chalkboard table!

I always thought if my wee one could ask for milk…it was time to give the boob the boot.

Breastfeeding has been pretty easy for me since my little guy was born, so I have never had to supplement with anything. Other than the general trials and tribulations of being a first time mom, I made it to my first goal of nursing exclusively for six months pretty seamlessly and then added in solids accordingly until my dude was a year. This was the way it was supposed to work. Spend the first 6 months just nursing and then months 6 through 12 practicing eating and working our way to at least 3 solid meals per day.

My little guy is now 14 months now and he eats like a champ albeit still skinny as a string bean and nursing all the time but definitely eating 3+ meals every day. So herein lies the dilemma…I am now the mom who has a little toddler who walks up to his mom and asks mama for mi mi (milk) and says “tank you” after.

Do people look at me? Probably! Have I thought about weaning? Absolutely! Have a read a tons of articles about mommy lead weaning and baby led weaning? You bet! Do I have the heart to listen to my strong-willed child cry if I deny him milk? Not yet! So what is a momma to do?

I am really self-conscious about nursing a toddler, but it works for us and keeps the sanity in our house so I have continued. At this point, nursing seems second nature to me but I am I have to admit a nice supportive non-nursing bra sounds really appealing. Not to mention, it would be nice to stop flashing random people at stores in Walnut Creek every time my little senor decides he would like some milk on demand. So as I write this, I am stuck wondering if my little one will ever self wean.

What if he doesn’t ?   Will I cut him off ?   Any one else experience this ?

Moms please weigh in…

Ah Valentine’s Day – where eating sugary sweet chocolately, pink, red and white treats is not only acceptable, it’s encouraged.  And, as a self-proclaimed semi-professional baker (meaning most of the time my creations come out “okay”), I took it upon myself to collect the best of the best Valentine’s Day dessert ideas from around the web. I’ll be trying out a few in the coming week. What about you?

Photo courtesy of Hungry Happenings

Valentine’s Day Cheesecake Hearts

I Heart U.  Will U B Mine? Call Me L8R. These all taste better in cheesecake form. Try out this tasty recipe for cheesecake hearts reminiscent of the candy conversation hearts we loved so much as kids.

Jelly Shot Test Kitchen

Red, Pink and White Jell-O Pops

This dessert has it all – tri-colored creamy goodness in the form of a Jell-O Pop. These little guys are as delicious as they are low calorie. Plus kids love eating things on a stick. Perfect right?

Photo courtesy of Cookies and Cups

Bottled Milk Cookie Toppers

Milk and cookies? Yes please. These two things go together just as well as you and your sweetie. We love the old-fashioned milk bottles (available at any craft score) and the cupid’s arrow straws.

Photo courtesy of Sassy Sites

Popcorn and Candy Goodie Bags

If you love sweet and savory, this is the Valentine’s Day treat for you. It combines salty popcorn and sweet chocolate candies all wrapped into one delicious, and portable, treat.  Great for a Valentine’s Day movie date!

Image courtesy of The Idea Room

Festive Cookie Sandwiches

Make your cookies into something special this Valentine’s Day by making one wicked sandwich with vanilla ice cream and festive sprinkles.

For the little ladies:

1. Celuk Embroidered Top – $36.00 2. Ubud Ikat Dress – $49.00 3. Jasmine Ikat Harem Pant – $35.00 4. Happy Morning Stripe Dress – $35.00 5. Legong Dancers Tee – $26.00

And for the little gentleman:

1. Badak Hoodie – $32.00 2. Safari Scooter Jacket – $65.00 3. Bali Rocks Tee – $26.00 4. Barong Batik Layered Tee – $30.00 5. Poleng Long Shorts – $39.00

So what is there to do with kids in Minnesota?  Well, actually there is plenty to do!

1.  Snow Tubing at Three Rivers Recreation in Maple Grove.  We arrived in Minnesota and there was no snow on the ground, totally unusual for this time of year.  In fact it was oddly warm.  Everyone in Minnesota thought it was a heat wave at 35/ 40 degrees, but we were a bit chilly.  My kids wanted snow, so we found it at this man made snow tubing hill.

2.  Spongebob Fans? We are a Nickelodeon family for sure. My kids loved Nickelodeon Universe which is located in the center of the Mall of America.  It’s an indoor theme park with rides named after all your favorite Nickelodeon characters.  They have smaller junior rides, thrill rides and even a high flying ropes course for older kids.  Little tots can even jump inside Spongebob’s pineapple house.  The roller coaster “rock bottom plunge” looked and sounded fun yet terrifying at the same time!

3.  Stop by the The biggest LEGO Store it is the biggest one we’ve ever seen!  Hudson’s eyes lit up and I think he thought he had died and gone to LEGO heaven!  They have building stations with plenty of LEGO’s for kids to build all day long. They provide benches for parents to sit, because you’ll be there awhile;)  There is also a 23,000 square foot American Girl Store at the Mall of America, it even has a restaurant inside (fancy)!

4.  You can ice skate indoors at the Depot Complex or if the sun is shining you can head outside and ice skate at Centennial Lakes.  My daughter loved that she was actually skating on a frozen pond/river and thought it was sooo cool.  She wanted to just keep going and going and going.  There is a nice cozy resting place with fireplaces to warm up inside too.  Skate rental and trainers are available.  Hudson skipped ice skating for the Chuck E. Cheese’s that is right next door, which is perfect for families to grab some pizza and play some games after ice skating.

5.  The Science Museum of Minnesota – My kids did not want to leave, we literally had to drag them out of this place.  They have all kinds of interactive exhibits, live shows and really fun hands on learning stations.  They also have an Imax theatre, which I went in and saw the show, but would have been a bit too much moving and motion for my kids.  The food available in the Elements Cafe is very reasonable and they have great kids meals as well as healthy food and snack options too!

6.  Visit the Galleria and check out Creative Kidsstuff - which is  probably one of the best toy stores I’ve ever been in.  The Galleria also has some great restaurants, coffee shops, Barnes & Noble and some high end shopping.  Fun Fact: I actually use to work at the store Oh Baby!, and I used to bring McKenna to work with me and put her in the cribs!  If you are looking for some adorable “made in Minnesota” baby/toddler clothes be sure to stop in this whimsical store.
More Savvy Sassy Spots:  The Children’s Museum which was just named one of the 12 Best by Children’s Museums in the US and Como Park Zoo.  We weren’t able to get to those this visit but I have been to both when the kids were just babies and they are great for kids!

(thanks for the friendly reminder @mammameehan)

Disclosure:  As a traveling Mom, writer, reviewer and Editor of SavvySassyMoms I was given media passes to some of these attractions.  All of my savvy thoughts as sassy thoughts are my own.  I share this travel experience with you for the purpose of helping, should you find yourself in Minnesota looking for something to do.