I took my five year-old and three year-old ice skating at the McCormick Tribune Ice Skating Rink at Millennium Park on Sunday.

My gosh, we had so much fun.

We are all really, really bad ice skaters. It took us a solid five minutes to make it around the rink one time. My kids fell dozens of times. We laughed through the whole experience. Then we drank hot chocolate and watched the Zamboni clean the ice and they thought that was almost as much fun as the skating itself.

The rink is only open for another month. And there are a ton of special events taking place between now and then -- be sure to bring your kids down for a skate!

Time for another round-up of parenting-related posts. I thought these posts/sites were worthwhile reads. You might too.

For those of you in the Oak Park area, Marketing Mommy has compiled a nice little list of local restaurants where kid eats free -- always a plus.

In the February issue of Chicago Parent (full disclosure: I am a Contributing Writer at this publication), Liz Hoffman wrote a most excellent story about military families and the incredible sacrifices they make. Go read this now. And then hug your children and keep this story in mind next time you are tempted to complain about something (at least that is what I am doing).

For those of you who are really starting to tire of winter (and I imagine that is all of you), take a peek at SouleMama's 'Winter Manifesto." This might just be the survival guide you need to get through these last few weeks of cold.

Finally, I wanted to tell you about a site called The Happiest Mom written by author and mother of five Meagan Francis. Meagan writes about topics that all moms can relate to -- like sleep deprivation and feeling totally overwhelmed. Her posts are well-written and offer helpful insights. Plus, I love the simple focus -- how to love your life as a mama.

Happy reading.

Summer camp isn't exactly foremost on my mind this cold February day. But it is time to start signing up for many summer camp programs already (yes, already).

Parents, you need to get planning.

If you are looking for a fun, quality summer camp program for your child, I have a fabulous opportunity to tell you about. Thanks to a very generous grant from HSBC-North America, 30 kids are going to be able to attend Conservation Camp at the Lincoln Park Zoo for one week for FREE. That's right, free summer camp. Here are the details.

If your summer camp budget is small this year (as it is for many, many families), I encourage you to fill out an application for the scholarship program. 

This summer, Conservation Campers will be entertained with amazing animals, fun & creative projects and of course great friends. All children grades 1-8 are encouraged to apply. But hurry up and get your application in -- only 30 one-week scholarships are available.

Scholarship applications are due to the zoo no later than February 13, 2010. Recipients of the awards will be notified by phone or e-mail on February 19th, 2010.

Register for Conservation Camp or learn more about the scholarship application process online http://www.lpzoo.org/edu_programs_camps.php or call the Lincoln Park Zoo Education Office at 312-742-2056. 

Now that I have kids, Valentine's Day is more about making paper Valentine's and eating heart-shaped pancakes than romantic dinners for two. But I like it that way.

For families with young children, Valentine's Day is a time to focus on love, friendship and affection -- all good things that you want your kids to know lots about.

As you can imagine, every kid-oriented spot in town is having some sort of Valentine's Day activity so you have lots and lots to choose from. This is just a small smattering of some of the family-friendly love fests scheduled in the coming days.

Sweet Saturdays at the Garfield Park Conservatory.  On Saturdays throughout the month of February, visitors can sample some of the sweet treats that grow in the Conservatory including vanilla beans, bananas, cinnamon bark, and chocolate trees. The special events take place from 11 am. til 4 pm. The suggested donation is $3.

Chicago Park Distirct Valentine's Day Dances. You can always count on the Chicago Park District to offer free or low-cost family events for every holiday -- and Valentine's Day is no exception. There are tons of Mommy/Son & Daddy/Daughter dances taking place in every neighborhood. One good option is the Cupid's Corner Valentine's Day Dance at the Lincoln Park Cultural Center on February 10, 2010 from 6:00 until 7:30. Admission is $5 per family.

It is Primary Day here in Illinois -- which means that folks are lining up (but not really because the polling places are basically empty) to vote in some hotly contested races.

As I trudged through the snow to my polling place this morning around 9:30 with my one-year-old in tow, I regretted not having gotten up earlier so that I could have brought my three year-old and five year-old with me to vote before I dropped them off at school.

In past elections, I have always had my kids with me when I voted. It just seems natural to include them in the process  -- both to model for them the importance of participating in elections and because their future is really foremost in my mind when I cast my ballot.

So what about you. Do you bring your child with you to the polls? Are you going to watch the returns together tonight? How are you using today's election as a learning experience for them?

February really leaves me with a "What do to? What do to?" feeling. I know that there are lots of great events taking place all over town -- but I lack the motivation to get out there and take advantage of them.

I need something new and different -- and when I heard about this event I knew that it would shake me out of my February funk. A Winter Dance Festival -- I mean, how grumpy can you be while you dancing on ice skates in Millennium Park to Michael Jackson's Thriller?

Chicago Winter Dance festival in a FREE event taking place in  Millennium Park throughout the month of February. From ice skating lessons and late night ice dance parties at the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink to dance lessons behind the glass doors on the Jay Pritzker Pavilion stage, there is something for everyone this winter in Chicago.

So you can dance. Or you can skate. Or you can try to dance while you are skating.

Here is a look at some of the free, family-friendly events and programs taking place this February:

Chicago can seem like a very big place - but it is really just a big city composed of many small neighborhoods. In my opinion, the individual character of each neighborhood is one of the very best parts of living in Chicago.

We are raising our kids in the Wicker Park neighborhood. While I know the very best park to meet up for a play date or store to grab a last minute birthday present in my neck of the woods, I certainly don't have that intimate knowledge of every single neighborhood in Chicago. Best kid-friendly lunch spot in the South Loop? I have no idea. Looking for a free story time in Edgewater? Can't help you.

Because Chicago has more to offer families than one mama could possibly cover, I've decided to start a "neighborhood spotlight" feature on Wee Windy City. Today, the spotlight is on Albany Park.

Shylo Bisnett, Albany Park resident and mother to a nine-month-old is here to tell us what her neighborhood has to offer families. Here is what Shylo has to say:

My neighborhood, located on the Northwest side, is one of the best places in the city to raise a family. I didn't know that when we moved here nearly seven years ago, but as I tote around a nine-month-old baby, I'm discovering that we unwittingly won the jackpot.

Albany Park is one of the most diverse parts of Chicago. It's home to sizable populations of Arabs, Latinos, Asians and now, aging hipsters like me living in everything from brand-new condos to traditional Chicago bungalows. Our neighborhood is also very walkable. Within 20 minutes, I can trot to two grocery stores, a drug store, several dozen restaurants, the library, coffee shops and a Brown Line station. This is exactly what we wanted after growing up in sleepy, suburban areas.

In response to growing health concerns about Chicago's kids -- including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and decreased physical activity -- several local organizations and individuals within the Chicago food community have joined together to develop new ways of sourcing, providing and thinking about food.

This newly formed group recently gathered at the Logan Square Kitchen for the inaugural Growing Healthy Kids Meet & Greet to begin their efforts.

When it comes to winter, most adults (myself included) have a pretty bad attitude. For example, when I think about winter, I think dry skin, ridiculous traffic and driving conditions, my daily attempts to locate five hats and pairs of mittens each time we leave the house, and dark, cold mornings when I wish I could just stay in my bed.

In contrast, when kids think about winter, they think: SNOW! SNOWMEN! SLEDDING! SNOWBALL FIGHTS! ICE SKATING! FUN! FUN! FUN!

We adults need to take a cue from the enthusiastic little ones in our life and see the positive side of a Chicago winter. You can start this weekend by attending the Snow Days event in Grant Park. Featured events include snow sculpting, dog sledding, and snowboarding. The kiddos can also chill out with storytelling and arts and crafts.

The cold-weather fun kicks off on Friday, January 29th from 4-8 p.m. and continues on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

Do remember to bundle everyone up -- it is going to be chilly out there this weekend. If you need some additional inspiration, see below for pictures of my kids demonstrating their most excellent winter attitudes.