flea market fun Archives

Pregnancy has taken over my life, friends! Seriously. I’m sick pretty much all of the time (truly, very, very, sick). But as much of a cluster that this pregnancy has caused these last few months, I’ve also managed to fit in some happy to our lives. And I’ve been quiet about ALL of it… because let’s face it — I’ve barely been able to keep my eyes open, let alone blog, as of late.

So get ready for the longest blog post in the history of this blog. Ha! Oh – and lots and lots of pictures!

The Cleveland Flea //

Moosh and I ventured to the flea for a few hours. It was a beautiful day, not too hot, not too cool. But it was very crowded. And many a flea-goers seemed unphased and unwilling to pay attention to the toddler they were nearly elbowing (I was wearing him as to avoid a trampling of the moosh). So that was fun. Ha.

Besides being a tad bit overwhelmed by the crowds of people not paying attention, we did manage to scope everything out. We said our hellos to our friends over at ReTread Akron and Studio KMR before settling in with our tasty lunch-finds: Tacos from #TeamSawyer and french fries from Melt Bar & Grilled.

After chowing on some delicious food (oh, and ice cream via Mason’s Creamery), Moosh wanted to listen to the DJ and dance in the open space. And who was I to stop him ~~from wearing himself out~~? All in all, it was a successful Flea trip. But truly, I could use a few people who watch where they are walking.

SOAR Playground //

Over the last couple of years I had heard about this “amazing” playground in Stow, Ohio. But there are so many other playgrounds around that I hadn’t ventrued out to find it. Well, we did. And it truly is amazing. Located in Silver Springs Park, the playground is suitable for young kids as well as the slightly older kid. And it’s very well known for being handicap accessible.

PS. Can you see Moosh in that picture?? He’s running up one of the ramps, which is one of his absolute favorite things to do.

An added bonus of this park is that you can still go play after a rainy day, or even a rainy few hours! No messy mud or mulch to deal with!

Movie Dates //

We’ve gone on THREE movie “dates” in the last couple of months. One was taking Ari to see The Lego Movie for $1 kids club day. He LOVED it! It was a new-to-him movie and an all-around new experience for all of us! Cinemark is doing Summer Movie Camps where they play movies in the morning at 9:30 am for just a dollar a ticket! So no pressure for us to stay through the whole movie. However, Moosh made it through most of The Lego Movie before we had to leave. 🙂

In addition to The Lego Movie, I took Moosh on a solo movie date TWICE since then! Once to see Penguins of Madagascar and the other time to see . These two times he acted like a pro! Ha! He was like, “Mommy, I want popcorn and fizzies.” (By the way, fizzies = root beer). And he sat through the whole movie BOTH TIMES (!!!!!).

Chad & I did have an opportunity to go see a movie I have been pumped to see for a while, Jurassic World. Guys!! I LOVED it! Sure, judge me. But the original Jurassic Park movie is one of my favorite movies of all time. This movie? This one was right back up there!

Meeting Spiderman //

Ari has developed a bit of an obsession with Spiderman, pretty much out of nowhere. Well, I shouldn’t say nowhere. He has a Spiderman sippy cup, but he had never actually seen an episode or movie of Spiderman. Well, he ended up meeting Spidey at Café O’Play in Stow.

And the dude was TERRIFIED, but I swear he was actually excited. We snuck away for a picture without the other kids chasing Spidey. Moosh talked about it all day, but he really does look terrified in the picture. I think he was just in shock.

The Cleveland Museum of Natural History //

Moosh and I ventured to University Circle to hit up the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. It’s been years since I’ve been and decided that a day-trip was indeed necessary! Moosh wanted to see dinos, but he ended up being pretty terrified of their size, compared to his less-than-36-inch stature.

We did find one gem that was impossible to pry him away from — the kids play and explore area in the basement! He used “science” to ‘dig up’ dino bones and explore bugs of the world. Very exciting stuff. The only problem? Eventually this mama had to pee and that meant full-on meltdown mode for one cranky little toddler. Nothing a quick trip to the gift shop couldn’t fix! He was holding a turtle stuffed animal for a while (this kid LOVES stuffed animals), but he ended up finding a pair of kids binoculars and he refused to let go of them. So we bought them (I know, I know… spoiled kid). I was surprised to find that he knew exactly how to use them. Whaaaat? Where do kids pick this stuff up, anyway!?

Race For The Place + Family Parties + Pregnancy Announcement //

So I have to be clear – our pregnancy announcement this time around was much less glamorous than the first time. The first time I was super nervous to tell everyone. This time I just wanted everyone to know because I was so tired of feeling sick for “no reason.” In fact, when telling people I mostly just blurted it out to family members.

The first weekend in June we participated as an extended family in the Race for the Place, to benefit the Gathering Place in Cleveland in honor of my aunt. Well as soon as we got there my one aunt said “Aww, Ari doesn’t look like a baby anymore. We need another baby in the family.” and I just blurted out “Well you’re getting one.” She freaked with excitement and I was relieved to have told someone. Ha. And that’s kind of how it went. We told family as we saw them. Most people said that they could tell (could it be the pregnancy glow? Probably not. It was likely the barfy look on my face and a pouch in my belly.).

I also felt like I needed to be honest with people because I was planning on running the 5k race. Which, while pregnant and very sick, was going to be … interesting. I used Moosh as an excuse to run slow, since I was pushing him in the jogger. But thankfully, my sister and brother-in-law ran alongside me and helped push him when I needed a break. Also? It’s good practice for them! Ha!

We ended up finishing in about 32 minutes. Far from my best time (like, real far), but it was my first race pregnant, so I was proud to have finished.

A few weeks later we went to a surprise 40th birthday party for Chad’s cousin. We spilled the beans pretty much as soon as we walked in (plus Moosh was wearing his “Big Bro” shirt!). And then later we announced it on Social Media with a picture of Moosh in that same shirt.

It felt great for the news to just be OUT! Freeing, actually. I hate secrets. Especially secrets like this.

Visits From Mimi + Poppy //

My parents rarely are able to visit together these days. They are both working opposite schedules and their desire to see Moosh often outweighs their need to travel together. It’s good for us because it means visitors often! We’ve been able to go to Café O’Play with both Mimi + Poppy on separate occasions. Plus lunch dates galore! Poppy loved checking out one of Moosh’s fave places — Retro Dog! And this mama never says no to a Sahlen’s Hot Dog (miss you, Buffalo, NY!).

When Mimi came to visit we took Moosh for a run and to the farmers market in Kent, and then later a playdate at Café O’Play. With Poppy, we went to Café O’Play, lunch, and then we (ie. Poppy) put together Ari’s tricycle!

Fathers Day Surprise //

I mentioned before that the one thing Chad requested for Father’s Day was to spend the day alone. I totally, totally get it. Moosh has been a bit of a monster these days. And I’d be lying if I said I wanted anything other than that for Mother’s Day (or my birthday — cough:cough). Moosh and I had to go for a drive to pick up his new Thomas the Tank table anyway. So we ventured and left Chad at home.

While we were out that way, we decided to swing by Chad’s dads house unannounced. He wasn’t home, but Chad’s aunt + uncle live next store so we pretty much barged in on them to say hello. And yes, I totally spilled the beans about the pregnancy to them in the first .2 seconds too (clearly this was pre-party & pre-FB announcement). Ha! As we chatted, Chad’s dad ended up coming home and he was super happy and super surprised that we were visiting for Father’s Day!

Ari was being his goofy and happy self (thank GOD) so we decided it was ‘safe’ enough to venture to Tai Pan in Middlefield for lunch. This teeny Chinese restaurant was a staple in our diet growing up and I honestly cannot eat at other Chinese restaurants because of it. We are so spoiled. It’s on the list of the top 100 Chinese restaurants in America… and it’s located in the town that carries the title “Fourth Largest Amish Community In The World.” Way to go, Middlefield, Ohio! Ha. There are exactly ZERO pictures from lunch, because wrangling a toddler through an hour+ lunch is nearly impossible. But pictures or none, I assure you it was delicious!

By the time we got home, Moosh was ready for bed. Chad had the Father’s Day he dreamed of, and I wore Moosh out. Success!

Toddler Snuggles //

As much of a PITA Moosh has been, he’s had his moments of awesome, too. He’s been a snuggle bug, but only when he’s avoiding bedtime. Regardless, I’ll take it. Beggars can’t be choosers!

Outdoor Summer Fun! //

Between having a zoo membership and having a plethora of local parks to explore, we have been busy! For one, the Akron Zoo is so completely accessible for a quick trip to wear out our little man. As a member, parking is free. And at most, we end up spending a couple bucks on the carousel. We love it. And Moosh loves bringing friends with him! Especially Kayden (whom Moosh declares to be his ‘BEST friend.’). Too cute.

We also have a park in our backyard. Literally. We have a small backyard and just beyond a teeny fence is a park, complete with slides, swings, and a kiddie pool! On the hot days (though those are few and far between), we’ve been hitting up the kiddie pool. Moosh is officially unafraid! Woo hoo!

The rain has certainly gotten the best of our outdoor fun as of late, but before the downpours began, we managed to fit in our fair share of outdoor play.

Thirsty Dog 8k //

I was pumped to sign up for the Akron Marathon Thirsty Dog 8k race. I signed up months ago and anticipated the big day for so long! GOOD BEER at the finish line! In fact, a special beer, The Blue Line Brew, brewed specially for this event. And then I got pregnant. Running has been difficult, sure, but I knew I could finish. Again, not my fastest time; not even close. But I finished. But I was too exhausted and tired post-race to even consider waiting in line for a sip of the (very low alcohol content – so hush haters) blue line brew. There was just no way!

So yeah, I finished the nearly-five-mile course and then pretty much crashed for the whole rest of the day. Oh well.

Fourth of July Fun //

We had planned on having a super chill Fourth Of July, but plans change, y’all. We ended up being incredibly busy.

I knew I definitely wanted to take Moosh to the parade again. Last year he had fun, but he was still young. This year I told him there would be music, marching and candy. Candy!!?? Yep, candy, kid. Well, as if that weren’t enough, his friend Kayden was meeting us there AND we got donuts so he could share with all the kids while we waited. He was in heaven. And truthfully? So was I.

Post-parade (and mid-sugar high) we headed home to pick up Chad (who, unfortunately, got called into work and missed the parade) and we headed to meet up with my sister for a cookout and swim. Moosh had a blast in the pool and I got a bit of sunburn.

But wait – there’s more! Our fun day didn’t stop there! We had another party to head to after hanging with my sister. We hoped Moosh would nap on the way. But nope. Bummer. He played and played and played at the last party before heading home to a bath and to crash. And we all crashed. No fireworks, no sparklers; just our beds.

So yeah. We’ve been busy lately. Add in gymnastics + swim lessons + a gazillion household chores and you’ve got one busy little family. But I wouldn’t have it any other way! OK, back to regularly scheduled blogging! Ha!

Life has been crazy pants over the last month or so. But isn’t that kind of always the case when you’re working and raising a toddler and taking care of family responsibilities and training for races and trying to actually fit in some fun, too?

Moosh started a new session of tumbling at the YMCA. The class is PACKED, which makes me mega anxious. But it turns out his ‘girlfriend’ we met on Valentine’s Day at Café O’Play — Veronique — is in his tumbling class. These two are SO cute! They are a week apart in age; plus they are both pretty much exactly the same size (aka — tiny).

We took a short trip to Louisville, Kentucky to visit with Mimi and Poppy. And we jam-packed it with fun and adventures! The first of which was to the Zoo. Here is my review of the zoo in Louisville: dirty; packed; but we still had fun. Moosh wanted to walk everywhere, which was exhausting for us, but we were hoping it would wear him out so he would take a nap (newsflash: he didn’t.)

The zoo did have some cool Lego thing going on though. Moosh wasn’t nearly as interested in the Legos as we were. Ha! Some day, kid, you’ll realize how freaking cool it was.

Chad, my parents, Moosh, and I went to the Louisville version of the Cleveland Flea — which is appropriately named The Flea Off Market. It was like an early version of the Cleveland Flea. It was cute and crowded and full of local finds, foods and brews — which is pretty much my paradise. So while I was sad we were out of town for the Cleveland Flea, it was exciting to experience something similar as an out-of-towner!

I had the chicken and waffles from something that is not considered a food truck — it was a food wagon. And it was DELICIOUS. And I tried a (new-to-me) brew from Bluegrass Brewing Company — a red IPA! Perfection.

And Moosh ate the crap out of some plantains. This kid loves the most random fruits and veggies! My dad had this delicious cuban food. He loved it; I thought it was spicy-ish. I’ll stick to my chicken and waffles.

We took a family-friendly betting trip to Churchill Downs — just one week after the Kentucky Derby. My thoughts? Churchill Downs is huge; there were a ton of people (even for an “off” day); the horses are beautiful; and betting has never been my thang. It was still cool to experience all of it. Moosh ‘bet’ on the “orange horse,” aka the horse with the rider who was wearing orange.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6No4I_CHZY]It’s a good thing the chicken and waffles were small because we had a date night at an Ethiopian Restaurant, Queen of Sheba, — a first for us! I would be lying if I didn’t say I was skeptical. Sure, it sounded great; but my dad referred to it as a “hole in the wall.” Then recanted and said “Well, it’s not a hole in the wall…” and I was like…. Yay [sarcasm]. But when we showed up I immediately felt at ease.

The food was incredible. I mean that in the most serious way. I told Chad that I wish we had eaten at this restaurant for every meal while we were there. The meals come “family style” on the same big plate… really it’s a platter, not a plate. And there isn’t any silverware. You eat with your hands and the injera, the Ethiopian bread, serves as your utensil. Mine was the Shifta Chicken (the meal on the bottom) and Chad had the Gored-Gored (the spicy beef dish on top).

Moosh played HARD at the playgrounds in Kentucky. And he came back with the bruises to prove it. I seriously wonder if our sitter thinks we beat him. (PS. We did not. Dude just doesn’t know how small and fragile he is. Ha!)

Mother’s Day consisted of a long drive home. Which was accompanied by Moosh sleeping — HOORAY! The perfect gift. 🙂

But we did at least watch some Monsters Inc before we hit the road… <3 Chad happened to snap this photo of us. Too cute!

I took another canvas painting class! I’ve taken several (ie. SEVEN) Wine + Canvas classes. This time I used Paint Nite in Akron. I have to say, it seemed to be a bit more lively and fun; but the teaching of technique was severely lacking. However, I still love the outcome!

We celebrated Chad’s birthday with a low-key night. A quick trip to Café O’Play, then dinner at Aladdin’s new space in Portage Crossings, followed by cake and presents at home.

I think we try not to get each other “things” because if we needed something (or wanted something) we would get it. We try to celebrate with experiences that last a lifetime. So I got Chad tickets to see Joe Machi at Hilarities at Pickwick and Frolic. If you’re not familiar with Joe Machi, he was on Last Comic Standing and placed 4th. The dude is funny in just our sort of way — dry humor. However, he is not attractive like my boy Tommy Jonaghin. Sigh. I love that man (sorry Chad). Regardless of his level of attractiveness, it’s going to be fun. Too bad we have to wait until July to see the show!

I cooked another Blue Apron meal. I feel like this needs to be documented every time. Because it doesn’t happen often. Technically, I cooked the meal pictured on the top — Baked Empanadas de Picadillo with Arugula, Queso Fresco, & Pickled Onion Salad! Chad made the meal on the bottom — Shrimp Tacos with Pineapple and Avocado salsa.

Basically, life has been busy, but perfectly lovely. When I look at this blog post and all of our pictures, it fills my heart up completely!

life lately //

life lately // a wrap up