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Nails

May 282012

On Friday, I took an early flight to Baltimore. I was excited to spend some time with my sister and Erin (AKA the Bride to Be).

My sister Holly was one of the attendants for the wedding. Here’s a great photo of her with the Bride to Be.

I think every bride should be pampered a bit before the big day. I also think that other attendants and friends should make sure the bride isn’t lonely.

There was a little excitement in the air!

Holly decided on colors. I’m just relaxing in the massage chair.

We all got “Gelish” manicures after our standard pedicures. With Gelish, the color is in a opaque white bottle, so our color choices were painted on these sticks. I had Holly pick out my color – High Voltage. It’s a glittery reddish pinkish color. I really like the gel nails since they don’t chip and look really good until your nails start to grow out.

I don’t get my nails done very often. This was sure a fun treat!

We had a great time at the salon and finished our time with Erin with a lunch at COSI. It was delicious. We said our goodbyes to the bride and set out to tackle our to do list.

My Weekend in Baltimore

Uncategorized No Responses »

May 272012

[print_this]

Q O E Z O H H J S I C C F J J 
Z V A A S H U L A E N R Z P S 
N A I O Z I X M E N L A E B Y 
N D J I H G T U G X S Z D P J 
L E G O S Y K S L P Y Z Z E E 
Z O I E Y N D H A A I W R U B 
P R O D U C E R M A R K E T P 
B F Y K T U A O O A Y C N H S 
B C F N L G O O K P K R I O E 
Q D A Y U A J M H W O I R O L 
S I X S Z E W S Z H Y N E P K 
G U I S K C U B R A T S I S C 
T H N D O W T Q I U T V U C I 
S D F G Q R W R L E Q N O A P 
W W R S H Q R X B H D L O O P


ASPARAGUS
BBQ
CREPE
ERIN
GIANT
HOOPS
HULA
HYDROPONIC
JERKY
JOSH
LEGOS
MUSHROOMS
PICKLES
POOL
PRODUCERMARKET
PUZZLES
STARBUCKS
SUN
WALK

[/print_this]

(The solution is on page 2 of this post.)

Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Watson

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May 262012

A day with my sister

Family No Responses »

May 252012

Nick and Sally are enjoying a Daddy weekend and I’m enjoying a weekend away at my sister’s.

4 AM Depart from home
7:10 AM Greeted by sister and niece and nephew in Baltimore
Dry cleaners
Montessori school tour
Pedicure, manicure, and lunch with the bride-to-be
Target
Haircut
Dinner with family
Ikea
10 PM Time for bed

P.S. Thanks to Stephen for taking dictation for tonight’s post.

Sprinkler Fun with Sally

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May 242012

On Sunday, Nick went to a birthday party. It was the first one where a friend picked him up and he attended without a parent. It sounds like he had a great time. After Sally woke up from her nap, I told her that we needed to water the plant and we could water her too.

She loved the idea of the sprinkler, but she wasn’t sure about it at first. She’s usually a bit apprehensive the first few minutes.

Soon she was running and laughing and even getting a little wet.

When we moved the sprinkler over, she really liked splashing on the concrete.

After 20 minutes or so, she was done and happy!

The temperature has been very sprinkler friendly this week. I suspect it will get even more use this weekend.

Cleveland Asian Festival

Adventures with Nick and Sally, Food No Responses »

May 232012

On Saturday, after the Roxboro Arts Festival, we headed to the Asian Festival. Everyone was tired, but Nick didn’t want to miss it. It was hot and we were exhausted, but we went anyway.

Stephen works less than a block from location of the Asian Festival. We decided that we’d be able to park in his lot. That turned out to be a great decision. Our trip to the Asian Festival started out with naps.

By the time we got from Cleveland Heights down to E.30th and Payne, both kids were totally asleep. I pulled into the shade, rolled down the windows and snoozed a bit myself. I didn’t really fall asleep, but the calmness and quiet of the breeze was awesome. It turned out to be a refreshing 45 minutes for everyone.

Once the kids woke up, we headed down the street to the festival. Nick was excited to see the road closed for the tents. The festival was well organized with a food court area, entertainment, kids area, and marketplace. There were also lots of volunteers available to answer questions.

The kids were excited to see inflatables. We entered the festival near the slide and the kids took a few minutes to wait in line for it. After their trip down, I realized that many kids and wrist bands and maybe we were supposed to pay for the attractions. We were hungry and headed to food anyway, so it worked out ok.

The kids were excited to see the Goodyear blimp flying overhead. Usually, I spot it in the car, but it hides behind a building or tree before they can spot it.

After a quick pastry wrapped hot dog to eat, it was slush time. It was at least 85 degrees in the sun and a cold drink hit the spot. It was fun to watch some of the food tents from behind. These ladies were frying up pot stickers. Each griddle had 50 or so of them cooking away.

This vendor was frying up egg rolls in huge propane powered woks. Each wok held at least 20 huge rolls. There were also two tents with performances. We took a minute to check out these dancers. Sally likes everything musical.

Nick has heard of book-mobiles before, but this was his first time seeing one up close. He loved going up into the bus to check it out.

We really didn’t stay at the festival very long. Everyone was tired from the busy day, but it was important to make a stop there since it was on our list. Nick and Sally really like schedules and plans. (I wonder where they get that from?)

On the way out, we had another peak of the blimp and the marketplace. I’d definitely try and make it to the festival again next year. I look forward to trying out some different foods and taking in more of the culture of the festival.

Roxboro Arts Festival

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May 222012

On Saturday, after we went to the Horsefest, we headed to Roxboro Elementary School for their Arts Fest. Our friend Shayna invited us since she was going to have a booth. We used our Google directions and ended up parking at the middle school and walking over. It wasn’t crowded in that lot, so our parking situation was nice. Unfortunately, it meant we approached the festivities from an awkward direction. At first it was a little overwhelming, but as we approached, we noticed Shayna’s booth. Nick was inquisitive about the glass products as soon as we arrived.

Many of these pieces were done by Shayna. She also had a few things on display from others who share the Superior Glass Studio.

Shayna showed us were restrooms were and pointed us in the direction of tickets. Basically, you buy a $2 button for each child to enable them access to the crafts. Then, you buy tickets to purchase things like food, drink and Rocket Car rides.

I spent $22 on tickets and buttons. We each had a slice of pizza, shared some fruit, had a beverage, and a Rocket Car ride.

I can’t tell if Sally is happy or worried. Then, we headed to the craft tables. They each made a paper whale. I wanted to take them to more crafts after that, but they wanted to play on the playground.

The only problem with the playground was the heat. It was all in the sun and much too hot. Soon after that, the Cavalier’s Scream Team was on. They were loud, rowdy and full of moves. It was fun to watch them, but Nick and Sally didn’t want to dance.

We checked out the Lego table. It was hard for Nick and Sally not to touch.

By now, everyone was exhausted and we headed back to the glass booth to say farewell to Shayna.

It looked like she was able to sell a few pieces.

For a PTA fundraiser type of event, this was extremely well done. I’m not sure if we would go back again, since it occurs on such a busy weekend. There is so much to do in Cleveland!

A Guest Post from Love You More Than You Know.

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May 212012

Good morning from Love You More Than You Know. Thank you to Lyn for having me as a guest blogger for the Ohio Blogging Association‘s All State Blog Swap. Thanks to Alicia for organizing today’s swap.

Lyn’s blog celebrates the joy of being a mom and taking care of herself and her family.

My experience with taking care of our children and spouses always seems to revolve around food. With my husband, five children, their spouses, and 10 grandchildren so far, someone’s always hungry!

It seems like not to long ago, my children were as young as Lyn’s are now. Here is a picture of my son, Joe as a three year old. When he was little, I would bundle him up to face the world safe and snug. Looking into his bright eyes, I would say, “Make sure you wear your boots and jacket and hat!” I never imagined thinking, “Make sure you wear your boots and flak jacket and Kevlar helmet!”

Here is a picture of Sgt.Joe Reinart, at 23 years of age, in the Ohio National Guard, when he was active duty and deployed for 15 months during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Guess what Joe always asked me to send in his care packages? Joe asked for food because anytime they left their barracks, the soldiers had to be in full body armor and gear. For lunch everyday the soldiers had MREs (Meals Ready to Eat). Sometimes it was just easier to eat what you had in your room and not go out in the heat after working a 12-14 hour day.

So every week, I would shop for groceries in Ohio to send halfway around the world—always buying enough so that my soldier could share with those who didn’t receive any packages. Joe made so many chocolate chip muffins from a mix that just needed water and a toaster oven that he became know as the Muffin Man.

For Joe’s birthday I sent a “Party in a Box”, including streamers, party plates, napkins, cups, candles, candy, party favors (squirt guns) and a banner that read HAPPY BIRTHDAY. I researched on the Internet what kind of cake had the best chance of surviving the extreme heat (temperatures 100-130 degrees) for the two weeks to twenty-one days it might take the package to arrive. The answer was an un-iced angel food cake. To solve the problem of frosting, I added a jar of Nutella, the chocolate hazelnut spread, so that Joe could frost the cake when the package arrived at his barracks.

Sending care packages was a way for my soldier to be connected to home. We made it through Joe’s deployment and celebrated when he came home. We continue to have many meals together as a family. The celebration continues as Joe is getting married in July!

I will continue bringing you true stories of our heroes in uniform, sharing with you the bravery and sacrifices that our troops and their families make everyday for all of us. You are invited to share your story about your soldier at Love You More Than You Know as a guest blogger. Send stories to storiesfrommoms@gmail.com

About Janie Reinart
Love You More Than You Know: Mothers’ Stories About Sending Their Sons and Daughters to War (Gray & Company, 2009 at Amazon.com)

A storyteller, educator, and freelance writer, Janie seeks ways to give people a voice to tell their own stories through prose and poetry. She and her husband, Ed, are grateful for their five children and grandchildren. Most weekends, you will find Janie praying and singing with the choir at Holy Angels Catholic Church.

Janie’s chapter, “Boots to Ground “ in Love You More Than You Know, won second place in the National Federation of Press Women’s 2010 Communications Contest in the category of a chapter/essay in a nonfiction book. Her chapter won first place in the Ohio Professional Writer’s Communications Contest.

Janie’s blog Love You More Than You Know is a finalist for the 2012 Milbloggies (6th Annual) Best U.S. Military Parent Blog Award.

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Thanks to Janie for sharing her post today. Her passion for our soldiers is amazing! I’m definitely going to look into sending a care package to a soldier this year.

Lake Farmpark Horsefest

Adventures with Nick and Sally No Responses »

May 202012

Yesterday, the kids and I visited Horsefest at Lake Farmpark. We had never been to this event before, but from the looks of the schedule, they were expecting a big turnout. The weather was perfect. We were sure to pack our hats, sunscreen, and water.

Nick and Sally were excited to see the horses hitched up to the wagon.

The wagon ride is usually one of the highlights of a visit to Lake Farmpark, but usually it’s powered by a tractor instead of horses. We rode over to the arena area.

We were greeted by this church group who were stamping names into horseshoes as souvenirs. The kids liked watching them work.

We watched the horses inside the arena for a bit. There was a color guard (on horses) and the national anthem for Canada was played. After that, a girl sung the US anthem. Nick heard it on a commercial today and remember the Star Spangled Banner from yesterday. Now he wants to learn it pronto. I see some patriotic music in my future when we drive to Maryland next month.

After we walked around the arena, we headed back outside where Nick got to try his hand at leading a horse. This is the type of set up that you’d see for plowing a field. I can’t remember the breed of house, but he was a beauty.

Nick had help, they didn’t let him lead the horse on his own. But, they showed him how to get Fred to move by making a kissing noise. It was so cute.

Sally’s turn was up next. I was surprised that she wasn’t afraid. She just went right up to the horse.

By the time she circled around, her hat had fallen down and she couldn’t see a thing. I was sure to readjust the hat as soon as she was done.

As we wondered around, we saw all kinds of horses and carts.

In addition to the arena activities, there were food trailers, vendors, and displays, including a children’s activity tent.

On our way out, Nick and Sally were happy to see that the courtyard train was running.

We left before music in the courtyard and some of the other activities started. As we exited, there were quite a few people in the lobby coming in. The admissions staff was well prepared and staffed for a busy day.

We barely touched the surface of things to see at the Horsefest. But, the kids and I have a short attention span and our visit was just right. We had arrived about 9:30am and left around 11am to head to our next stop.

Willoughby Outdoor Farmers’ Market??

Adventures with Nick and Sally No Responses »

May 192012

Today, the kids and I planned a super ambitious day. Stephen is still out of town and it’s so much easier with Nick and Sally if we are busy and out of the house.

We decided to start our day at the Willoughby Farmers’ Market. The market is in downtown Willoughby. It was not hard to find at all. We parked in a nearby school parking lot. It was easy to access. Nick and Sally both enjoyed the fountain located near the gazebo on the way to the market.

At first glance, this is like any other market. An open area with booths of vendors set up.

Many people were buying flowers and plants. Since it’s the middle of May, it’s time to plant tomatoes and other things in the ground. We were happy to see Rainbow Farms at the market. We’ve done some U-Pick at their farm. We bought some lettuce and Nick purchased a cucumber. Sadly, this was the only local farm that I was able to find at the market.

The booth that amazed me the most was the semi truck parked behind this huge row of tables of “fresh” produce. I don’t think any of it was from any farm in Ohio. It was obvious that they had just picked up skids of food at the Cleveland Food Terminal or a place like it. They had pineapples and lemons and bananas! ARGH. I really hope that people realize that this is not supporting our local farmers. Many of the workers at this booth were Amish, so in respect, I didn’t photograph much of it.

I will admit that we bought a watermelon. When Nick and Sally get excited about vegetables and fruit, I don’t want to squash that enthusiasm. We ate some tonight. It was ok, but nothing like the fresh, local, organic melons that will be in season late summer.

The rest of the market was mostly crafts and some home produced baked goods. There was also some local cheese and honey.

The market was right next to a church and they had a sign that the restrooms were open. I thought that was nice to know. Having two little kids, restrooms are always on our mind.

If you’re looking for a quaint walk through Historic Willoughby on a Saturday morning, it’s worth walking through the market. But, if you want a true Farmers’ Market, we have some great ones in the area – just not in Willoughby.

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