Out and About Mom

Things to Do with Kids in Connecticut

About Us

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The original Out and About Mom crew circa 2013.

OAAM Reunion in Disney 2023!

Flashback to the summer of 2011. Longtime friends Shawna and Mandy are just a couple of first-time moms doing the best they can to navigate the tricky path of new parenthood. These are the days when every errand is an excuse to stop for coffee and taking a shower seems like a huge accomplishment. When emptying the dishwasher takes all day and dinner is likely to come straight from the freezer.

Desperate for ways to break out of the doldrums of infant parenting, the pair begins heading out in search of fun things to do with their three little ones. They spend a lot of time at parks, playgrounds, libraries and even the mall. And guess what? They start enjoying themselves and their babies a whole lot more. The more they get out, the better things get. Hmmm. They might be on to something here.

Then one day, Mandy gets an idea: what if we could help inspire new moms across our state to get out and get exploring with their little ones? What if we could take some of the stress out of going places with small children? What if we could make a brand new venue feel as familiar as if you’ve been there a hundred times before? And, most importantly, what if we could give new moms (and dads!) the confidence to discover wonderful new places so they could spend more time enjoying themselves (and their new babies!) and less time cooped up in the house.

And so, Out and About Mom was born.

For more than six years we’ve been trekking back and forth across this state (and sometimes over the border!), cameras at the ready, documenting our adventures with our growing families and sharing our best tips, tricks and “momsense” with parents and caregivers all over Connecticut. We’ve been on hundreds of outings! Taken thousands of pictures! And helped countless CT parents find new, fun, family-friendly activities to share with their little ones.

And now, we are thrilled to be growing our site to include even more adventures from new “Out and About Moms” (just like we were once!).

Wondering where to park? We’ll tell you. Not sure if there’s a place to change the baby? We’ve got you covered. Don’t know if you can bring your stroller? We do! We’ve got all the inside info from parking to restrooms, from strollers to snacks, from what’s not to miss to the stuff you can skip. And since a picture really is worth a thousand words, we’ll give you plenty of those too. In short, think of us as your own personal tour guides on this great adventure we call parenthood.

So check in here first for the info you need, and then get out there!

kathryndeane-16Shawna Gale

Co-Founder/Contributor/Editor

Lives in: Glastonbury, CT

Kiddos:  Two boys (oh boy!) ages 14 and 11. And one little lady, age 7.

Who am I?: I’m a New England girl, born and raised. I hail from the smallest state with the longest name where we like our cabinets cold and our grinders hot. (That’d be Rhode Island, by the way.)

After a collegiate stopover in the nutmeg state, I spent five years enjoying southern living in Atlanta, GA. Then, in 2005 I married my high school sweetheart and we moved back north to Glastonbury, CT where we’ve been ever since.

When I can find the time I enjoy reading, cooking, gardening, and pretty much any craft project that requires a hot glue gun. I also confess to an incurable weakness for magazine subscriptions, shoes, cookbooks, and Pinterest.

My hope is that this blog will encourage new moms (whether it’s your first baby or your fourth!) to just take a deep breath and get out there. Because the world is even more amazing when you see it through the eyes of your little one.

Have a question or suggestion? Email me at outandaboutmomshawna@gmail.com

kathryndeane-13Mandy Pike

Co-Founder/Blog Tech Support

Currently lives in: Orlando, FL (yes, we hang out with Mickey Mouse often)

Previously lived in: West Hartford, CT (9 years)

Kiddos: I have three children. Boy/Girl twins who are 14 and a little girl who is 12.

Who am I?: I spent most of my life in the southern states of South Carolina and Georgia. My family moved to South Carolina when I was in 5th grade and then I moved to Georgia for college (Go DAWGS!) and the start of my career. I met my husband in Atlanta, GA and we got married and moved to West Hartford, CT for a new job opportunity.

Connecticut is where all three of my babies were born, where I learned the ropes of motherhood, and where I got the amazing opportunity to explore the state with my kiddos (thanks to a little push from this blog!) In 2015, we moved to Orlando, FL and got ourselves settled into a pretty big change in scenery and way of living. IMG_6164

We miss Connecticut a lot but I feel so lucky to have the opportunity to stay connected to the state and the people there through my continued support of this blog. While I’m not writing about outings on a weekly basis, I am helping behind the scenes and will pop in every once in a while to write a post.

When I’m not blogging, I enjoy running, volunteering with my children’s school and local community organizations, playing tennis, and attempting home improvement projects.

I am so proud of this blog and the work Shawna and I have done to give local moms the information they need to enjoy an outing with their little ones! I hope it gives you the information you need to get out of the house and explore the state.

Have a question or suggestion? Email me at outandaboutmommandy@gmail.com.

Contributors:

Over the years we’ve been fortunate to feature many other adventurous Out and About Moms (and some dads too!). Get to know them in case you stumble upon one of their blog posts:

Audrey Beatty


Audrey lives in Glastonbury, CT with her husband and their two young sons. She calls her older son “Bug” on the blog, and the little guy’s blog name is “Bean” 🙂 She began contributing to Out and About Mom in 2016.

Before becoming a mother, Audrey made her career working in marketing and development capacities at various notable nonprofits including The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts and Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network. Audrey now works at River Bend Bookshop in Glastonbury, CT.

In her (incredibly precious) spare time, she loves birding with her husband, painting, and being outside with her sons. You can read all of Audrey’s OAAM posts here.

Ally Headshot 3Ally Noel

Ally Noel is a mom, a wife and an educator living in Norwalk, CT. She began contributing to Out and About Mom in 2015.

Her daughter, Miss C, enjoyed all the comforts of home for about 10 days before her mother bundled her up and headed out on their first Out & About adventure.

Ally suffers from an extreme case of FOMO (fear of missing out). She enjoys experiencing every nook and cranny that southwestern Connecticut has to offer. When she’s actually home, you can usually catch her binge watching something on Netflix, entertaining family and friends, or making some sort of glittery crafty mess with Miss C.

Her blog, LuCk, includes everything from play-based learning activities to unique party and playdate inspiration. You can also catch her monthly contributions on Fairfield County Moms Blog. Show her some love on Facebook and Instagram and if you like what you see drop her a note on LuCk. You can read all of Ally’s OAAM posts here.

John O’Leary

John O’Leary lives in West Hartford, CT with his wife and three daughters. A Connecticut native, he is an educator, coach, author, and archivist for Reuter’s Coach Works. He started contributing to Out and About Mom in 2018. Our first Out and About Dad!

Having had the opportunity to travel around the globe to cities like Paris, London, Dubai, Prague, and Bangkok, he enjoys sharing his love of travel & adventure (along with foods of every type) with his family and learning from each experience. You can learn more through John’s LinkedIn profile. You can read all of John’s OAAM posts here.
 

Jodie Sadowsky

Jodie Sadowsky has lived in West Hartford since 2004. She married her high school prom date and their family has since grown to a happy, noisy party of five — with two sons (Mr. Fix It and Ninja Boy), a daughter (Princess Anna), and two of the longest living goldfish ever won at the Celebrate! West Hartford fair. Jodie first made an appearance on Out and About Mom waaaaay back in 2012.
 
Jodie is a lawyer who has worked in her family property’s management business for 14 years. She also used to publish a blog – Love Them Madly – which documented her family’s adventures in life, crafts and cooking. Though the blog is no longer, Jodie reports her family is still up to the same creative antics. She does miss writing regularly and thanks Shawna & Co. for providing this opportunity on Out and About Mom. Favorite Connecticut Spots: Connecticut Historical Society Museum, Heirloom Market, Auer Farm, Elizabeth Park. You can read all of Jodie’s OAAM posts here and here.

Tiffany Wentworth

Tiffany, her husband, their three boys and one little lady live in Simsbury, Connecticut. She continues to be an active contributor to Out and About Mom since 2016. In her spare time (ha!), Tiffany works in human resources and enjoys volunteering and being involved at her kids’ schools. Being the sports (& New England Patriots) enthusiasts that her husband and boys are, she also finds herself enjoying (and understanding) sports more and more these days – and you can always find her cheering on her boys from the sidelines as their biggest fan.

Tiffany grew up in southeastern Connecticut and loves spending time down by the shore – especially in the summer months. Whether it be up here – or down there – Tiffany finds joy in sharing new experiences and adventures with her boys – always looking to find the hidden gems of family fun hidden throughout CT (and beyond).  You can read all of Tiffany’s OAAM posts here.