Photo Friday: Atticus at the Playground

June 22, 2016, Clinton-Como Park

Six Years of NY, All Boxed Up

I've been going through a major paper purge over the last couple of weeks. My major focus: several boxes of brochures, stubs and various knick knacks from 10 years of vacations and 6 years of living in New York. I whittled it down to two containers that are smaller than shoe boxes.

One of those boxes is dedicated to New York. Last week was a bad week to do this since it was the three-year anniversary of when we moved away. I was already feeling sentimental. Deciding what made it into the box was always going to be difficult. Now it was sad, too.

What made the cut: all of the Playbills, my favorite business cards, some maps, quite a few Metrocards and a few odds and ends. Even now it's strange to think that arguably the most exciting years of my life can be represented by the contents of a single box.

But no regrets. It's paper. Ashes to ashes, and so on. The memories remain. And seriously, it's nice to not have so many boxes around.

Photo Friday: Splash Pad Fun

May 25, 2016, Worthington

Movie Night Redefined

We did something different at our neighborhood block party in June -- we borrowed a neighbor's projector and screened "Back to the Future" on our garage door. Adults and kids floated in and out, but Paul and I and a couple of neighbors stuck it out til the end. It was fun.

So fun, in fact, that Paul and I decided to get a projector of our own. We never did decide on what to get each other last Christmas. This seemed like as good a thing as any to settle the score.

And so far, so good. We got it last week and screened our first movie on Friday. My birthday, my pick: "Bride and Prejudice." Paul picked Saturday's Indiana Jones film.

We started a Facebook group for friends and neighbors to join, so we can easily share what is airing when. Our Roku also is compatible, so I'm hoping we can have other events as well, like election night results or Ohio State football games. It's like I'm a kid again and this is my new toy.

Photo Friday: On the Carousel

It's my birthday, so how about some rare selfies of me and the kids on the carousel at Columbus Commons?

June 22, 2016

Another Year Older

We drive by Ohio State University's campus regularly, but once or twice a year we make it a destination. Last Saturday evening was one of those times.

We walked along High Street, gazing at the new dorms and wondering at both the new stores and empty storefronts.

We ate at a restaurant that wasn't there when we were in college, at the end of the street where I used to live. Looking around, I realized that the kids were about 15 years younger than everyone else there, and that Paul and I were a good 15 years older than the other patrons -- and employees.

When did college kids get so young?

The question was even more stark in my mind since I turn 35 on Friday. I graduated from college 13 years ago this summer, met Paul 15 years ago. I graduated from high school 17 years ago, got my driver's license 19 years ago. People who were BORN on the day those things happened are teenagers now, adults even.

I can't even say that I'm going through a quarter-life crisis. At this point it would be a midlife crisis, wouldn't it? Either way, getting older is no crisis for me (yet), but saying dates like these out loud does have a way of grounding you in reality, as do two kids and a mortgage.

But the last year has been kind to me, and I'm excited about what the next year will bring, too. Let's see whatcha got.

Photo Friday: Edith Sits in a Helicopter!

May 20, 2016

Edith Goes to "Preschool"

May 10, 2016

Edith won't truly be starting preschool until 2017, but she is getting some early practice.

This spring a few friends joined me in starting a preschool co-op. Once a week, one of the moms hosts two or three kids at her house for 90 minutes of "school." We most definitely don't have a curriculum, but my weeks have a theme. Once we talked about birds. The next one, words that begin with the letter P.

Now Edith can't wait to go to school, and she barely gives me a second glance as I drop her off. And she loves showing off her craft or talking about what she learned. Here's hoping that this will make for an easy transition next year.

Photo Friday: Playhouse

May 18, 2016