A teddy bear picnic at a pizza garden? This isn’t some childhood fantasy – it’s real life.

Or at least, it will be at noon, when the Children’s Museum will host a group of kiddos (and their favorite teddy bears) at the Western Montana Fairgrounds’ pizza garden (located near the hockey rink). The pizza garden is a pizza-shaped garden filled with living plants that grow good toppings for pizza – plants like garlic, tomatoes and herbs.

It’s a gardening opportunity and a picnic opportunity. If you don’t have any lunch plans, pack up a sack lunch and the kids.

And if you happen to drive by the festivities – don’t worry, you’re not hallucinating.

- MM

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Last night my family got dressed up, went out to a “fancy” dinner and then attended the musical “Annie,” all part of a Christmas present from my mom.

The play didn’t wrap up until after 10, so I’m dragging a little today. It’s one of those days when I wish I could wear pajamas to work.

And speaking of pajamas, you’re not going to believe this news article from the United Kingdom’s Daily Mail.

It reports that a school has taken the unprecedented step of “banning” mothers from wearing their sleepwear to drop their kids off at school. Apparently, up to 50 moms a day were coming in wearing slippers and bathrobes.

So what? It’s not like they are in nothing but negligees. So long as they’re not committing indecent exposure, give those tired moms a break.

For the record, I actually did come to work in my pajamas once. It was Halloween, and my costume was “Exhausted Mom.” I teased my hair all crazy and rubbed blue eyeshadow under my eyes. Unfortunately, I don’t think anyone noticed I was wearing a costume.

- MM

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My colleagues at the Missoulian recently introduced me to Speak Up Missoula! , which city government reporter Keila Szpaller over at Missoula Red Tape described as an “online coffee klatch for Missoula.” I like that.

The coffee klatch forum provides a way for reader to weigh in on an infinite variety of topics. It’s a particularly good way for those who have an opinion (and isn’t that everyone?), but who may feel a little shy about sharing it in public, to make their voices heard.

So give it a try. To start us off, I posted a question my family frequently confronts. We like to dine out every once in a while, but within the last couple of years some of our favorite family restaurants have shut down, and we have grown a little sick of our usual haunts. Charlie and I now find ourselves taking our little girl to bars, casinos and other places that don’t have crayons or kids menus.

So where’s your favorite place to dine out with the kids?

- Tyler Christensen

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