Its a Hero

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STEM Learning with Snapology // WIN a LEGO® brick set

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STEM learning, or the concept of education based in science, technology, engineering, and math, is something I think about frequently as a mom of a 4 year old. See, I understand the importance of engaging Ari in learning from an early age with things that interest him. Heck, I’ve had him enrolled in building classes at Home Depot every single month for the last two years!

I was lucky enough to know that Ari was receiving STEM education while in preschool this year and I noticed huge improvements with his imagination and comprehension! And while Ari is out of preschool this Summer, we’re going to do all of the learning and exploring that we can! So when I found out that we have a local Snapology franchise in Kent, I was totally on board to check them out!

Snapology has made it their mission to help children reach their full potential when it comes to imagination. They offer camps, workshops, field trips, playdates, and even birthday parties for kids 3 and up! Between game design, stop animation, and kinder robotics, I’m anticipating a busy STEM Summer!

I’m absolutely down for anything that involves learning and fun, and totally interested in hosting Ari’s 5th birthday party here in October! For real – a LEGO Star Wars or Ninjago birthday party!? These boys would eat it up!!

And while I encourage you to check out a local Snapology franchise near you, I also highly encourage you to enter to win a LEGO® brick set of the Snapology Mascot Sebastian Gator!

Use the rafflecopter widget below to enter!

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This giveaway is a partnership with Nakturnal. As always all opinions herein are my own. 

Explore Ohio // Cuyahoga Falls { AND A GIVEAWAY! }

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Before moving to the Akron, Ohio area, I’d heard about one of its suburbs, Cuyahoga Falls. I assumed it was this tiny place. Because, honestly, it just sounds like a tiny little peaceful place. But it isn’t tiny by any means! But it is peaceful and has so many wonderful things to do and see!

If you’re following along with my “Explore Ohio” series, you’ll know that we briefly considered moving elsewhere like Upstate New York and even have looked at real estate in Dayton, OH; but I’m so happy that we are raising our children here in beautiful Cuyahoga Falls!

I urge you to come visit my beautiful town! And while you’re here, check out some of my favorite places:

HiHo Brewing Company. Two former teachers took a leap of faith and started a brewery in their hometown from the ground up. I fell in love with HiHo the first time I walked in. The huge space is super inviting for people of all ages — there are board games, couches, and a tasty selection of food. Also? Beer, obviously. A delicious rotation of craft beers, brewed on-site.

The Blue Door Café. A hidden foodie gem, just North of Akron, exists on the corner of State Road and Broad Boulevard, and can easily be missed. There is no signage, but always a packed parking lot. The only ‘advertising’ they need is the signature blue door. Incredible pastries and brunch dishes are served from classically-trained French pastry chefs. People literally flock to the Blue Door from all over (I’m looking at you, Cleveland friends! I see your check-ins from FB and Foursquare 😉 ).

The Social Dept. Located right next door to HiHo, this t-shirt company offers on-site screen-printed regional shirts, onesies, and even beer growlers! I just bought Chad this Cleveland Indians shirt for his birthday!

Hale Farm and Village. Located in the middle of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, this historic village preserves aspects of our past and brings them to workshops and families who visit the working farm. They even allow rentals for weddings! How cool would it be to have your wedding here!?

The Gorge Metropark. So much hiking, ya’ll! I was unprepared for my first hiking excursion here. In my defense, we were supposed to go to the zoo, but we went to the Gorge instead. And I was wearing ballet flats and a dress. Lesson learned! Winding trails, waterfalls on the Cuyahoga, views of whitewater kayak races just up the river, rock climbing kiddos… it’s got it all! Even ice skating during the winter months!

Retro Dog. Old-school diner and drive-in hot dog restaurant. But not just any hot dogs — these Buffalo-natives serve Sahlen’s hot dogs with a funky-fresh twist! Toppings galore, white-hots, loaded fries, crazy burgers, and custard! This is a big favorite in our family — even Remy can (and will) throw down a whole footlong hot dog on the reg!

Blossom Music Center. If you’ve grown up in Northeast Ohio (or even Central Ohio!), you’ve likely seen a concert or two at Blossom. This outdoor amphitheater is a super popular outdoor music venue for all types of music. It’s even the summer home of the Cleveland Orchestra! (Personal note: This is where I saw my very first concert when I was four… Whitney Houston, ya’ll. Such a cool experience!).

Sarah’s Vineyard and Winery. Located across the street from Blossom Music Center, this gorgeous vineyard offers indoor and outdoor seating as well as an array of delicious wines! Like many other local spots, it’s very family friendly! So bring the kiddos and a picnic!

The Riverfront Family YMCA. Okay, okay. I’m a tad-bit bias. I love my local branch of the YMCA, but I also work there. We have an amazing gymnastics program, an awesome 2-,3-, and 5-day preschool, and so many fitness classes! Come catch me there, Monday through Friday! 🙂

Darby’s on 59. We lived in the Falls for years without knowing that this place existed. This tiny little gem is located on route 59, across from the Cuyahoga River. They have an adorable outdoor patio and delicious food. I can easily live off of their calamari and sliders for the rest of my life and be happy!


Metropolis Popcorn. Located on the pedestrian-only portion of Front Street, Metropolis Popcorn offers 50-flavors of Ohio-grown popped-corn! Some traditional flavors, some crazy-pants flavors, but all delicious!

Burntwood Tavern. Admittedly, there are a few of these around Northeast Ohio. But ours is the best. Know how I know? It’s located overlooking the Cuyahoga River. Bonus? They have amazing food and an even better Happy Hour menu. And I can’t forget about the live music every Thursday and Friday night! How awesome is that!?

Honestly, I had to cut my list short because I could just go on and on and on! I haven’t even begun to mention places like The Office Bistro, Craft Beer Bar, or any of the numerous parks and wading pools (one of which is literally in our backyard!).

And now my favorite part of this series — a GIVEAWAY! I’m hosting a Giveaway for a $25 Gift Card to Burntwood Tavern (which can be used at any of their locations — Chagrin Falls, Solon, Rocky River, Brecksville, Lyndhurst, Crocker Park, Fairlawn, Belden Village, and right here in Cuyahoga Falls!). Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter!

 

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This giveaway and blog post is a partnership with Nakturnal. As always, all opinions herein are my own. This post may contain affiliate links.

 

Explore Ohio // Downtown Akron

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After graduating college ten years ago (eek!), I made the decision to move back from Upstate New York to Northeast Ohio, where I grew up in a tiny, country town. I had spent years away from my family and friends and I knew that Ohio was where I was supposed to be. After college I moved back into my childhood home with my parents and made an hour + commute to an office in Downtown Akron. It was manageable. I was young and fresh-faced — ready to take on the world!

And then I happened to begin dating my (would be) husband, who just so happened to live here in Akron. Fast-forward a year and I finally took the plunge and moved in with him — and we began exploring the city of Akron together!

My husband even proposed to me at the same restaurant where we had our first date — Crave!

Sure, after we had kids we considered moving elsewhere — in fact, after my sister moved to Columbus, Ohio and my parents moved to Louisville, Kentucky, we considered moving further south to be closer to them — we even looked at available listings in Dayton, Ohio! But Akron is our home. And we adore exploring our city!

Over the years so many amazing establishments have been added to Downtown Akron. Here are some of my favorite places:

Crave. Of course this place has a special place in our hearts. Not only is it special to us, but they have amazing food. From the Root Beer Braised Pulled Pork on a Pretzel Bun, to the Smoked Gouda Mac & Cheese with Blackened Chicken, to my newest personal favorite — the Buttermilk Fried Chicken + Waffles. Ahhh-MAZING! (PS. Totally looking forward to Crave Cantina, opening up on Front Street in Cuyahoga Falls this Summer!

Sweet Mary’s Bakery. Mary and the crew make specialty, handmade, baked goods every single day. My personal faves? The pies, the macarons, and the biscuits! Give me ALL OF THE BISCUITS!

Apotheclaire. This salon, located on Mill Street across from the John S. Knight Center, uses all eco-friendly products and they recycle everything. Everything! Even your hair! Claire and her crew are the bomb dot com.

NOTO North. Pretty much the cutest boutique in all of Northeast Ohio. I’m absolutely digging their Feminist t-shirts! MUST get one, ASAP!

Diamond Deli. I was introduced to this deli my first week in Akron. It. is. GLORIOUS. And very much a traditional deli shop. The family that owns this restaurant has owned it from day one. And each of the sandwiches is named after a family member (my favorites are the “Where’s Jason?” (turkey, bacon, Colby cheese, avocado, lettuce, tomato, Mayo on wheat bread) and the “Mom – Come Get Me I’m Sick!” (Smoked turkey, bacon, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, Mayo, Dijon mustard on grilled rye bread).

Akron Rubber Ducks at Canal Park. A double-A minor league baseball team located in the middle of Main Street. The park itself is gorgeous! There’s a kids area and a full bar, and every single seat is a fantastic view!

The Lockview. Gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches + an incredible craft beer selection = one of my go-to lunch and dinner destinations!

Do Good Yoga. My dearest friend Gretchen opened this amazing brand new yoga studio a couple of months ago. It combines two of my greatest loves — yoga and the raw parts of the city of Akron.

The Northside Speakeasy. Handcrafted cocktails in a traditional speakeasy setting. In fact, the door is a ‘secret’ entrance (I legit had to ask some random guy outside how to get in).

Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad. You can take the CVSR from Northside Akron and view of the natural scenery and wildlife of the national park and an opportunity to learn about the history of the railroad in valley all the way to the Independence station! It’s an awesome excursion and a great way to see a side of the land that is typically hidden! PS. They do a “Day Out With Thomas” in May! So get your tickets now! SO fun!

Akron Art Museum. If you’re local to Northeast Ohio and have never been to the Akron Art Museum, you are missing out. With free admission every Thursday, it’s easy to get in and see all of the temporary exhibits as well as get hands-on with my little ones at the kids workshops! Bonus? A live band plays outside every Thursday evening during the Summer!

Nuevo Mod Mex. It’s a tequila bar and upscale Mexican restaurant with a killer rooftop patio! What could be better? Chad and I went right after they opened and have kinda made it an anniversary dinner tradition ever since!

Akron Civic Theater. Ari and I just recently went to the Civic to see The Little Mermaid Ballet, but I’m constantly amazed by the beauty of this theater. There are always concerts and shows to attend — heck, even a Bernie Sanders rally in 2016!

Chill Ice Cream. I’ve long-searched for ice cream that rivals Jeni’s (in Columbus) and Mitchell’s (in Cleveland); but the search was over when I tried Chill. They have vegan AND savory flavors! PS. If you haven’t had savory ice cream flavors, you’re one-thousand percent missing out.

The Akron Zoo. I’ll admit it — we are members and have been for years. But I just love, love, love this zoo! Sure, we’ve been to others — Cleveland, Columbus, Buffalo, Louisville — but none compare to the ease and awesomeness of the Akron Zoo. We can get to it in, no joke, minutes. Parking is a cinch and making our way through the exhibits is easy peasy!

The Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail. I always hop on the trail behind Canal Place (near the Spaghetti Warehouse) and run behind Canal Park, over Route 59, and down past the Mustill Store. It’s such a gorgeous view of the Cuyahoga River!

Just going back through this amazing list of places makes my heart so happy. And with that, I’m excited to be able to host a $25 Giveaway to Nuevo Mod Mex (located in both Akron + Cleveland) so that you can check out one of my most favorite places in the whole world! Use the rafflecopter widget below to enter!

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And tell me, what makes your city unique!?!

 

 

*Disclaimer: This giveaway is a partnership with Nakturnal. As always, all opinions herein are my own; I may have been compensated for this post and it may contain affiliate links.* 

Let It Serve A Purpose or Let It Go // and a giveaway

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Something amazing happened yesterday. I didn’t expect it. It wasn’t major. But it changed me.

Without getting into the nitty gritty details, almost 9 years ago, just as my husband and I started dating, a few incidents occurred with another person. This person was, by all accounts, a stranger to me. But was a friend of my husbands (boyfriend at the time). Again, I realize I’m being vague, but I’m doing so on purpose. But know this — it didn’t involve any form of cheating (after reading the first few lines, I realize that this could easily be incorrectly assumed); it was just a psychological incident to which I was an innocent bystander. And for many years, it caused me a good deal of anxiety.

I constantly wondered if we would run into this person. If so, was I equipped to emotionally handle it? Randomly I would have nightmares about her and the situation.

But, over the years I thought about it less and less. Time heals all wounds, right? Well, that’s what I thought. Until recently when this person randomly walked into a gymnastics class I’m teaching with her son. I was.. caught off guard. I texted my husband and he said, “She probably doesn’t even know who you are. Relax.”

The weeks went by and every single class I thought about how this person and I have so much in common — and this common experience — but technically we do not know each other. And it haunted me a little just to know that this whole situation was within arms reach. Literally.

And yesterday, after about 10 weeks of interacting with her and talking with her and getting to know her and her son (and feeling like a total phony for staying at arms reach), I finally spoke up.

I said, “Okay. So. There’s no way for me to say this without me sounding like a crazy person.”

Immediately she smiled as if she knew exactly what I was going to say. So I said it. Well, I said it kinda wrong, but I said it.

And she literally breathed a sigh of relief. She said “I know who you are. I just didn’t know if you knew who I was. And I’ve owed you an apology for many years. I wasn’t in a good place and I’m very sorry.”

And we hugged. And I told her that Chad always said we would get along swimmingly, and that over the last 10 weeks, I knew he was right. But that the air needed to be cleared.

But then she said something that really surprised me… she thanked me. She thanked me for clearing the air and being braver than she was by bringing up the elephant in the room.

And THAT — that was what really got me. Both of us had been tiptoeing around an uncomfortable situation. We both had agonized for years over something that haunted us, but it took this single act of bravery and humility (on both of our parts) for us really to be at peace with the situation.

I immediately felt a huge weight lifted off of my shoulders — one that I didn’t even realize I was still carrying around with me after all these years.

What if I had never spoken up? What if I had never gone far beyond my comfort zone and approached her about the elephant in the room? And I started thinking about every other thing I’m emotionally holding onto and how much it’s holding me back from truly enjoying life.

So I’m making it my mission for the remainder of 2017 — to let go of things that do not serve a purpose and to accept more of what does. Bring on all the positive, bye to all the negative!

While there’s nothing like a random Tuesday morning slap-in-the-face from the universe, there’s also absolutely nothing like a giveaway, am I right!?

Remember those Freshly Picked moccasins that Remy absolutely loves!? Well, I’m hosting a giveaway for a pair! Use the rafflecopter widget below!

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You and your little one will absolutely love them! So soft and beyond adorable. And this is just one way that I can keep passing on the good vibes I’m riding high on from yesterday! xo

 

*Disclosure: I received one pair of Freshly Picked moccasins in exchange for a giveaway. As always, all opinions are my own.*

First-Year Mommy Must-Haves // and a GIVEAWAY!

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Whether you’re a new mom of one, two, or seven, the first year with a new baby is tough! Now that we’ve made it to the other side of that first year (hooray!) with Miss Bea, I want to share the things that helped make this transition a whole heck of alot easier!

  • Seventh Generation Wipes. See, you can easily make the simple mistake of buying cheap wipes. However, once you either use thirty for a single diaper change, or — worse yet — end up with poop on your hand, you know that those thin wipes must go! I love Seventh Generation wipes because they are thick and get the job done. We subscribe and save our wipes from Amazon so that we never even have to run out to the store to get them! They’re delivered to us once a month so we never run out!

  • Ergobaby Carrier. My Ergobaby is my lifesaver — especially with the transition of one to two kids! It has made it easier for me to do everything, from grocery shopping to preschool drop-off; from making lunches to changing laundry; this carrier is life-changing, ya’ll.

  • A Nose Frida. I know, I know… Gross, right?? Wrong. First of all, it’s your own kids snot. Second of all, just because you are sucking on the end of this nasal aspirator, doesn’t mean you’re sucking snot. You’re just pulling the snot through with the suction of your moth. Not gross. And super easy! Way easier than those balls they hand out at the hospital! I promise!

  • Baby Merlin’s Magic Sleepsuit. I put off this purchase for way longer than I should have. I mean, $39 for (what looks like) a giant snow suit? My thought for months was “We can survive without it.” Ya’ll, I wish we would’ve just bought it from the start. This thing is magical! It’s perfect for once a child can get out of a swaddle, but still need that feeling of security.

  • Chicco Travel Seat. We skipped the fancy/bulky highchair both times around. Why bother? They take up so much space! Instead we opted for this clever snap-on seat. Not only is it portable, but it’s lightweight. Truthfully, we keep it at home almost all of the time; but, if absolutely needed, we take it with us to a restaurant.

  • Car Seat Poncho. Between snow and rain, our babies cannot catch a break! Especially since it’s dangerous to put your kiddos in the car seat with a coat! This car seat poncho is a genius way around the great coat debacle. I’m able to easily transport Miss Bea from the house, to her car seat, and into the Ergobaby without once having to remove her poncho. It keeps her warm and cozy and safe from the elements.
 

Use the Rafflecopter widget below to win a $25 credit to Plays In Puddles boutique — to use on any in-stock item of your choice (including the car seat poncho!).

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**Disclosure: I received a car seat poncho in exchange for my honest thoughts and review. As always, all opinions herein are my own. **

P.S. I Love JORD (and my husband) // GIVEAWAY

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In keeping with my commitment to be as open and honest as possible here on my blog, I have to say that I had no idea how having children would change my relationship with my husband.

See, Chad and I had dated for four years before we decided to get hitched! So we certainly didn’t jump into anything. Naively I assumed that our relationship weathered enough in those four years to survive babies.

Guys. I am here to tell you. Having children. changes. EVERYTHING. Sure, they are wonderful little mini humans with unique and awesome personalities; but there is no storm like children. Not even close.

We haven’t had an easy road with either child. Honestly, as soon as we got the hang of Ari, we decided to have another. Remy Bea has been extra difficult from the very start. Especially over the last year — with two children, both difficult in their own ways, we’ve lost sight of what truly matters most — being present with each other.

Shortly after this Valentine’s Day, Chad and I will celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary. It honestly baffles me that the last 5 years have flown by this quickly; but somehow we’ve weathered this storm together. And our time together, especially our time spent together without kids, is so incredibly precious.

As corny as it sounds, the most precious gift I can give my husband is the gift of time. And to celebrate our upcoming anniversary a tad bit early, I gave him the gift of a beautiful and unique wood watch from JORD! There’s no time like the present, am I right?!

This man. This men’s watch. This struggle. They don’t even begin to show my love, affection, and appreciation for our journey.

And, believe it or not, this cool watch isn’t just a way for him to monitor how many minutes are left in a timeout! Ha! This watch symbolizes the days, the months, and the years that we have put into each other and into our relationship.

This beautiful and unique wood watch comes in a variety of styles and designs. I chose a classic round-faced men’s watch — the Frankie — with Koa wood! It’s sized accurately for the most perfect fit on my husband’s wrist!

This Valentine’s Day, reconnect with your partner by giving them a beautiful wood timepiece! Thanks to the wonderful people at JORD, one lucky reader will win a $100 gift code to use over on the JORD site!

To enter, head HERE.

Bonus? Everyone who enters will receive a $25 gift code to use at JORD at the close of the contest! It’s a win-win!

Contest is open through 11:59 on 2/5/17. Winner will be chosen at random and contacted by JORD directly with gift code. I received product for my honest thoughts and review of JORD. As always, all opinions are my own!

Luxury Wooden Watch