When the weather gets cold...

the restless and hotel-fevered go bowling.

Decking the halls

....errrrrr.....hotel room.

We're back in Cincinnati and it feels a little like coming home...it's our fifth stay in this hotel.

Today was so rainy. We schooled this morning...two days in row...woot! (This is fodder for another post...as much as I am loving our curriculum...it may be a bit intense.) After meeting Sweet Daddy for lunch, we ran errands...primarily to get some Christmas crafting underway.  Glue, ribbon, cheesecloth...can you see it?

Our Christmas tree (purchased last year for our first stint in Houston) is up...so much earlier than it would be in real life. Bug asked if we could sing songs while we decorated...my surprisingly, sentimental boy. Bean danced. Now we are sitting and watching Charlie Brown with my favorite dancing twins. (I'm not with dancing twins...they're in the show.)

This one's for Grammy

and anyone else who may be reading...

anyone?

riding a camel across the Sahara

in front of a replica of the Rosetta Stone

no pictures were allowed beyond this point in the Lost Egypt exhibit...

didn't want to disturb the mummies

on to the Children's Museum

don't know where she learned this

carpenter, architect?

charming picture, Santa looks a little tough, maybe...

I assure you this is without judgment,

we don't believe in Santa, exactly,

but love the idea of him

we'll try not to blow it for anyone else's family

Bug was not interested in him, after all the

mummies, Santa...may have been a bit much for him

Weekend

I thought I might write Friday, but decided I wouldn't, lest I alarm anyone. So on the other side of it, I can say that the grief I felt falling on Thursday, washed me down stream and left me barely able to catch my breath. The levee broke. I was useless, no homeschool, no planned well-balanced meals (uhhhh, yea,) no trips outside on another gorgeous day...I left a box of Cheez-Its and water bottles out for the babes and went to bed. My poor kids. They climbed in bed with me and I tried to continue our read-aloud and couldn't get through a paragraph. I finally just turned on the TV for them and cried myself to sleep. It was such a lonely feeling.

But I have surfaced and perhaps I won't fight so hard next time and just be swept along the current. There's nothing anyone can do anyway, but pray. And now I can pray more effectively for others surviving grief...that'd be all of us, folks.

His mercies are new every morning. I got my act together Saturday, so we gathered food and delivered a box for Turkeyfest. That was cool as we got to meet a sweet lady and her son.

We "parked" with Sweet Daddy, but had to deliver him back to work. Fun was not done, though, so back we went to Sharon Woods and played some more. And then we watched the Grinch and The Cat in the Hat on TV while eating Momma's fried rice for supper.

A few nights ago, Sweet Daddy and I caught a PBS show on the history of Cincinnati parks and were so intrigued. I have already become a big fan of Hamilton County Parks, but had not visited any City of Cincinnati parks. Today, we went to three. Check out the pics, especially this one of the concrete slide built in 1929.

Tomorrow, we're going to the museum to see the Lost Egypt and Mummies exhibit. Yahoo...you know me, I love field trips!

Travel update: The kids and I will be traveling back home on Tuesday to celebrate my absolute favorite  holiday with our families. Sweet Daddy is going to be able to join us (wasn't settled until a couple of days ago) and is taking his provisional break until next Tuesday. Don't know what we'll do with those days off and not sure how long Bug, Bean and I will stay home beyond that. I may have mentioned how I love living in this hotel. So, there...you know what I know. Can't wait to see you all.

Twofer Tuesday

We went here today. Whoa, Nelly...that's a fun place. Things got a little hairy keeping track of both babes in a big, busy, vast, water wonderland. But we did it.

We stayed about 3 hours...which was well worth it, because it was FREE! I knew that our local one at home had special free hours right now...arrive before 5, Mon. through Thurs., admission is free.  I thought it would be a long shot that the one a mere 5 minutes from Sweet Man's office would have the same deal going...but they did. Rainy day = indoor play!

And my lands, right around 5, the place was c.r.a.z.y. So we beat it on out of there, after spending 10 minutes sitting in the rain in the HUGE outdoor hot tub. May sound miserable, but ohhh, it wasn't. I almost fell asleep.

No pictures...didn't want to chance take my precious camera into a place with a million gallons of water spraying every which way. You just need to go and experience it for yourselves!

In case you're wondering...

Here's our home for right now...we've been in this hotel off and on since the beginning of August. Come visit, but in the meantime you can see what our space looks like.

Somehow I missed the desk and the table. You wouldn't be able to see them anyway...they'e always covered with books, food and such. The kids sleep on the sofa bed. We have the king size bed....space. And the only thing I don't have but would like to is an oven...I've had to adjust my meal plans. I've thought of bringing a toaster oven on the road...yea...but for now I'm experimenting with baking in the crock pot. We'll see.

The staff takes great care of our family here.

So, the room's comfortable and plenty big, but small enough to motivate us to get out on these spectacular sunny days.

Trick or Treat

...from Cincinnati (4 days ago, mind you.) It was their first time going door to door. They loved it. They wanna go again...today.

Next year, I'll try to do homemade costumes...just couldn't do it this year. Now it's in writing.

Sunday, funday

It's been a while since we've had one of these on site, with Sweet Daddy. We stayed in Cincinnati instead winging back home for our church. 


Right around the corner from Sweet Man's office is a Vineyard Church and we attended this morning....ooooo, it was a good one. Fantastic music, great words from the pastor about the radical 1st century Christians and how we, and not the government, are responsible for upholding our communities.

Deuteronomy 15:4 (New International Version)   ⁴ However, there should be no poor among you, for in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you

He then put that passage into New Testament perspective according to the Acts stories. Oooo, makes me tingle and want to do something radical...what would that be? I'll have to keep asking the Lord to clearly show me those opportunities. I know there are many poor among us, poor in so many ways....

After church, we puttered a bit and went to the Newport Aquarium...it seems to be a hot destination and several people have suggested that we visit. Sweet Daddy wanted us to reserve this trip so that he could join us.

I'm starting to consider myself an amateur judge of the value of the entertainment dollar...I guess anyone who spends money is a judge of value...anyway, this, my friends, did not live up to my standards...don't want to gripe too much. 

The exhibits were very impressive...but the corresponding information was so disorganized. Many tanks had species that were not labeled or tanks were labeled and there were no animals to match to be found. Bug kept asking the names of things and I couldn't find out for him. I gave up about half way through. Some tanks had no information at all. Maybe I'm just one of those annoying people who wants to read everything.


Then they had several rubbing kiosks at child level where a visitor could place a piece of paper on a brass relief and rub the image with a crayon...but there was no paper at any of them.... 


In general, I just didn't get the layout, how the exhibits were organized...they seemed random...river systems and then a reptile tank, then sharks, and at the end penguins. Water, I guess, was the only commonality. Okay, aquarium...I get it...I guess I was expecting more theme-i-ness...

There were fun areas. We really enjoyed the shark petting tank and the jellyfish exhibit. And the pirates and pumpkins in the shark tanks and an interactive frog area...complete with a lifesize Froggergame. 

Bottom line: this place was expensive even with a coupon. And it was not worth the 3 hour tour in my book...there...in case anyone cares....

Here are some pics and they...are worth any every penny you paid for them.

Bittersweet

Beautiful day. We went back to the Halloween Night park from the previous post...different and just as fun in daylight. And the weather...almost summer.

As for the question about my fun addiction affecting the kids...I've had glimmers of confirmation this week . We drove by the Bass Pro shop we visited with Sweet Daddy in August and Bean recognized and recounted what we saw in the store. Bug does that all the time, remembering events better than I do...so maybe it's not all a blur to them. That's a good thing.

We've been having fun in Cincinnati, but our thoughts keep returning to friends who are so sad this week. In and among the fun, there have been questions and there has been prayer. For them and for our sweet Indiana friends who are enduring their own strainings and stretchings.

Hi, my name is...

Get real, I'm not going to tell you my name. Either you know it or don't, but we're keeping the thin veil of anonymity in place here in the blogosphere.

But to continue the phrase: My name is _________, and I'm an experienceholic.  Actually, that's one on a list of my addictions...but it's the one coming into focus today.

I am an indulgent mother...not with toys, clothing, treats {some would argue with that} or baths {egads, no.}

I'm talking 'bout fun...the pursuit of fun, really. Not simple, entertain-'em-with-a-cardboard-box or make-mudpies fun, not that there's anything wrong with that. I want to get my children out of the house/hotel, spare our hotel neighbors, and DO something we don't often have a chance to do. I indulge my children in experiences.

...and I want to take pictures of it. Oops, this forum could be part of the problem.

This addiction manifests itself once or twice a week. I get an itch to do something fun. Here I am, often in unfamiliar territory, usually in a 200 sq. ft. room, with my window on the world aka: laptop and a little too much time on my hands. Upon arriving in unfamiliar territory, I begin to link into local event schedules for children, preferably free, but I'll consider those with a small fee. A little bit of effort is rewarded.

Right now, it is the metaphorical New Years Eve of fun activities...this fall/harvest/pumpkin/Halloween time. My addiction is flaring up... tempting fun is easy to find. The weather is beautiful. It is the culmination of agri-entertainment's year of labor. There are loads of activities here in Cincinnati for those who have a little money and scads of time. On one of the event sites, there is even a handy little icon that links the event directly to my Google calendar...too easy.

And of course, when one acknowledges an addiction, soul-searching follows. Why am I this way? and How will this affect my children?

I may have an answer for the first question. I am consciously trying to restrain the whining...but as rich as my childhood experiences were, they were repeated. I was born, grew up, graduated from college, and still have a home all within a 15 mile area. Wonderful in many ways, but....

Take my summers...spent at our family business, a swimming pool...we swam, we ran through the woods, we picnicked, we worked, we forged life-long relationships, we had fun. It was idyllic and I would give my left eye to have that place back.

But that's where we were every summer. Every birthday party I had up until the age of 22? was held there. We rarely traveled anywhere and when we did, it was to usually to camp within the radius of an hour's drive. Childhood experiences were deep but not broad.

So I am taking this life on the road and running with it...I am bound and determined to soak up the life wherever we are. And expose our family to the encounters specific to each new area.

However, we don't know anyone in these places...we don't have play dates or sleepovers. No childcare, no coffee with a friend. We pack our schedules with those activities when we can...that's the big fun at home. Here, it's up to me to find enriching entertainment. Otherwise we sit in a hotel room staring at each other or a TV.

I don't yet know the effect on the kids. Sweet Daddy and I have to keep evaluating that. I don't want to establish a need or expectation of big entertainment all the time. 

Walked on the waterfront at Winton Woods park, 

after lunch and freeze tag

First pony ride at Parky's Farm Halloween Nights

The spinning tunnel at the Funhouse

Hayride and Daddy was with us!

All that to say, here are the photos from some recent adventures, yesterday. And true to my word, there were no pumpkins involved.

One of those days

For realsies, this time. It fulfilled all Monday, Monday preconceptions....

We were grumpy, unmotivated, whining and not too excited to be together in a Cincinnati hotel.

But the sun was shining, so we quickly zipped through couch time and got out. We planned fun stuff. You know, returns to one store in an unfamiliar mall, grocery shopping for the week, book store...you know, just what kids want to do.

Oh, and I fed the kids leftover pizza at 11am, thinking we'd be back in time for a real lunch...not packing a lunch like I usually do....

Nothing remarkable happened, except we survived and though I felt the need to blow my stack two or three times, I held it together, mostly...and prayed. Much better plan....

We did visit both of our favorite Cincy parks; one with Sweet Daddy and the other just to get more wiggles out.

Then we came home and made this...careful...very creepy.

Goodbye, September & Cincinnati

We leave tomorrow for home. Again, we're in a holding pattern until we know where Sweet Man's next assignment will be. I'm crossing fingers for Atlanta...I love Atlanta and Savannah. I think I love the South.

Today was laidback. We did school and then letterboxed. What is letterboxing, you ask? It's a treasure hunt  of sorts. It's fun, adventurous, cheap, and gets the blood pumping. Perfect for this family on the move. (Geocaching is very similar, but this Momma is low-tech.)

We found three boxes within 5 miles of our hotel. Why didn't I remember to do this when we were in Wichita or Houston? Ah, well. But we have remembered to letterbox (yes, it can be a verb, I think) on vacation on the Outer Banks.

I need to be a bit more organized to do this...keep our supplies together in the car. Maybe even make our own symbol stamp and come up with a cute family name. Any suggestions?

Racing to the starting location

Locating a letterbox

Does this look like a treasure? (Well, of course, he is....) 

Beauty along the trail

Just throwing this in here...'cuz I love him.

I love fall

Yesterday we went to a beautiful park with Sweet Daddy and then to Shaw Farms to visit the pumpkin people.