On Thursday night, the kids and I were invited to an advanced look at the Maryland Science Center’s new fully interactive exhibit Harry’s Big Adventure: My Bug World presented by Terminix.

What a night.

Hosted by Harry, a Chinese praying mantis, and his insect friends, Harry’s Big Adventure: My Bug World! takes visitors on a unique multi-sensory journey through the habitats, sights, sounds and social structures of some of  nature’s smallest and most important contributors.

Your kids will adore it.

{My boy’s favorites were the scorpion and tarantula. Shocking, I know.}

My advice? Visit on a weekend when the special programming is in full swing.

On weekends trained entomologists from the Audubon Insectarium, allow you to get up-close-and-personal with the stars of the exhibit… the bugs!

Their specially designed interactive games and competitions had us in stitches. What kid wouldn’t want to know how far they can spit a cricket? Or root for their fav roach in the Roach Race, or  hang out in the Bug Petting Zoo?

Or even try an insect delicacy cooked up by the Bug Chef? Yes. You read right. THE BUG CHEF. If bug cuisine is on your bucket list, then this exhibit will be right up your alley…

{See how much I love my readers?  Yes, I ate a bug for my blog. It was, not surprisingly, rather crunchy. My kids haven’t kissed me in days.}

Important deets:

Harry’s Big Adventure: My Bug World! will be open during regular museum hours: Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Please note special weekend programming.) Entrance to the exhibit is included in museum admission. For ticket and admission information, call Maryland Science Center at 410-685-2370 or visit www.marylandsciencecenter.org for more information.

Families in the region who are looking for an exciting new holiday tradition need look no further than Christmas on the Potomac at the Gaylord National Resort in National Harbor, Md.

It is an experience like none other.

We’ve attended Christmas on the Potomac twice (2010 and 2011) and both times our family has been left practically speechless. I’m a  parent of tween boys and trust me when I say that it is getting harder each year to find outings that the whole family can enjoy. That being said, I’m not exaggerating when I say that my kids never want to leave the Gaylord National. (Neither do their parents, truth be told)

But this year, our visit was definitely over the top:

Gaylord has teamed up with Dreamworks to offer “Merry Madagascar,” a two-night one-of-a-kind Dreamworks character vacation. Kids (and adults!) get the opportunity to rub elbows with Po, Shrek, Alex, King Julien and other Dreamworks characters during character breakfasts, scavenger hunts, and wake up calls, ice skating and more.

Have I mentioned ICE! yet? ICE! is a separate interactive indoor wonderland created entirely out of clear, white and colored ice. ICE! continues on with the Dreamworks theame featuring 10 scenes from “Merry Madagascar.” Best part? The two-story ice slide that both kids and adults can enjoy, as well as a sparkling nativity scene made entirely of crystal clear ice. The structure took 40 Chinese artisans 30 days to carve the two million pounds of ice needed for the holiday spectacular. “ICE!” is open daily through Jan. 8, including holidays.

Coupled with Gaylord’s  already extravagant Christmas on the Potomac activities, which include indoor snowfall, simulated Northern Lights and a 7,000-pound Tree of Light, there can be no doubt that it is a magical experience. I highly, highly recommend it!

If you would like more information on the Dreamworks Experience at Gaylord National, ICE! or Christmas on the Potomac, please consult Gaylord National’s website or call (301) 965-4000.

FTC Disclosure: I attended the opening weekend of Christmas on the Potomac as a member of the press for Want2Dish.com. I was not asked to share my experience nor was I compensated in any way for this post. All opinions, videos and photos are my own.

Up until a week ago, my children had never had the opportunity to visit New York City.  It has been a dream of mine to one day introduce them to the hustle and bustle of the city that I dearly love.

I was thrilled to get the opportunity!We officially kicked off our summer vacation with a family trip to Manhattan. Not only did we bring the boys, but we also treated my mother and father-in-law and to surprise tour of the Big Apple a la THE RIDE

THE RIDE is part scenic tour, part comedy tour and part off Broadway show all facilitated via tour bus. But these aren’t just any tour buses, THE RIDE’s custom vehicles are outfitted with stadium seating and state-of-the-art lighting and sound. Seats face sideways, not forward so audience members look through floor-to-rooftop windows that sport breathtaking city views and make the streets, crowds, and building façades feel just like a show.  Onboard hosts (Jackie and Scott) guide THE RIDE, commenting on New York history and sites, as well as everyday citizens and performers.

THE RIDE is the most unique experience I’ve had in a long, long time.

My husband and two boys L O V E D the street performers that were woven into the tour. Their stages are quite literally the streets of New York. (The free style rapper was my husband’s personal favorite. He was hilarious, to be sure.) I most enjoyed watching the locals acting completely blasé about random opera singers, tap dancers, ballet performers and the like launching into performance in the middle of the street.  Only in New York…

Even my mother and father-in-law (lifelong residents of New Jersey) found themselves dancing in their seats. And THAT is saying something.

It was a BLAST. (Even for me and I’ve been to New York countless times and seen all of “the sights.”) Want another opinion? How about Josh Grobin? Here’s a video of Josh Grobin talking about THE RIDE on Regis & Kelly. Hilarious!

Couple of fun facts about THE RIDE:

• THE RIDE vehicle itself is over  13 feet high, 45 feet long and 8 feet wide. (Apparently it is as tall as the federal government will allow on the streets of NYC.) It is quite impressive!
• More than 3,000 LED lights, 40 video screens, a surround-sound system and “floor shaking” technology in each vehicle can create the feel and sound of everything from a subway train to the inside of a nightclub. (Funny thing, later we got on the actual subway prompting my son to quip, “This subway feels like THE RIDE.” LOL.)

A full schedule for THE RIDE is available online at www.experiencetheride.com. To purchase tickets, visit the website or call (866) 299-9682 or visit THE RIDE Box Office located at the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel at 1535 Broadway between 45th and 46th Streets.

Disclosure: My family and I received complimentary tickets to experience THE RIDE. All opinions are my own.

Too early to start thinking about the holidays?

I think NOT.

If you are a family with children living anywhere near the Washington DC region you are going to want to seriously look into Gaylord National’s holiday offerings.

Beginning November 18^th, Gaylord National will offer a brand new 15,000 square foot ICE! extravaganza featuring DreamWorks’ Merry Madagascar™. The animated holiday TV special is being transformed into a interactive wonderland of colorful ice sculptured entirely out of two million (yes, you read that right) pounds of ice.

But that is just the tip of the iceberg. No pun intended.

Gaylord is taking a page from Disney’s books and offering two-night one-of-a-kind Dreamworks character vacations. Families will not only get the ICE! experience but also the opportunity to rub elbows with Po, Shrek, Alex, King Julien and other Dreamworks characters in a variety of unique experiences ranging from character breakfasts, scavenger hunts, and wake up calls to poolside holiday movies, ice skating and more.

Coupled with the hotel’s already extravagant Christmas on the Potomac activities, which include indoor snowfall, simulated Northern Lights and a 7,000 pound Tree of Light, there can be no doubt that it is shaping up to be a regional experience like no other. (Our family stayed there last Christmas and were, quite literally, blown away. I spent the rest of the holiday season convincing friends and family to visit. It was magical.)

Special package pricing families is currently available. For more information on the Christmassy Dreamworks Experience at Gaylord National, ICE! or Christmas on the Potomac, take a look at Gaylord National’s website or call 301-965-4000.

Up until Saturday night I could honestly say that I was not a fan.

Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t DISLIKE monster trucks, per se. I had simply not been exposed to the whole world that is monster truck madness.

But that evening we were invited to attend Monster Jam’s “Havoc in the Harbor” at the Baltimore Raven’s M&T Bank Stadium as guests of Feld Motorsports.

INTENSE? You could say that.

My boys were over the moon with excitement. We were instantly converted from family-who-didn’t-know-what-they-were-missing to HUGE FANS.

People, there were trucks skidding and sliding, flipping over, twisting around, losing parts and even CATCHING FIRE. What is not to love about that!? I was even biting my nails at one point…. ME! The girly-girl who wore a maxi-dress to the festivities. (I think I was subconsciously trying to declare my femininity in an overly testosterone-laden arena.)

My pal Keyonte and I rocking the girly wear!

We are most definitely converts...

In case you are a newbie like me, you’ll find some of these facts fascinating:

• The custom designed trucks are each about 12 feet tall and 12 feet wide, weigh a minimum of 10,000 pounds and sit atop 66-inch-tall tires.
• They can generate 1,500 to 2,000 horsepower and are capable of speeds of up to 100 miles per hour. (Crazy!)
• Monster trucks can fly up to 125 to 130 feet (a distance greater than 14 cars side by side) and up to 35 feet in the air.

My little boys (and their dad) were never happier. Need more convincing? Watch below:

What could be cooler than that?