Fun in the Sun (room)

Mom needed to go out for the morning, so I spent some time with Elena on the sun porch (which we are hoping to get redone soon) and she was being SO cute I had to snap some pictures.

Apparently Jen does not like my fashion sense - I dressed Elena that morning - and she's ashamed of our non-matching porch furniture, but look at Elena's smile. Who can resist it?

Today we took a drive to the west side since Jen has hardly ever been there. We ate Gyros at Sebastian's on Glenway, visited my dad's old house on Epworth Ave, then went back east to Eden Park to visit the art museum. Unfortunately we got there at about 4:30 so they were closing soon. Elena just wanted to wander everywhere so it was kind of a waste trying to look at the art.

We headed out and let her RUN down a bunch of hills (which she couldn't stop giggling as she ran) down to the currently empty reflection pool but then had to hike back to the car... and it was HOT! Elena of course did NOT want to be carried and she threw a fit and both her and I were uncomfortably hot by the time we made it back to the car. Moral of the story, it's fun heading downhill, but upwards can be work.

Toodles everyone.
-Jason

Heading back to the 'Nati

Just wanted to do a quick post to provide a link to some more pictures I took while we visited family in Akron. Some reason I have more free time up here to do blog updates and such. Imagine that. ;-)

Anyway, here's the link...

August visit to Akron

Hope everyone has a great week!
-Jason

Mmm... Barberton Chicken

View inside Millich's kitchen area... good thing we ate first.

So we came back to Akron for the weekend to visit family and see Jen's sister's new house in Stow, OH - near Kent State. It's been a nice trip so far. Elena slept most of the ride up and only "screamed" the last 20 minutes or so.

Kristin and Shane's house is very nice. Spacious and well maintained. Had we found the same size/style house in Cincinnati where we were looking we'd have easily spent double what they had. It's a great house for them and their two kids.

On the way back from our visit even MORE north, we stopped by Millich's Village Inn for some lard-fried Barberton chicken. Yum! and ugh. I mean it's pretty darn good chicken, but you seriously should NOT eat all the breading/skin if you want to make it to age 50 or so.

Here's a cute video I shot in the restaurant.

Elena loves using big girl drinks

So anyway... I should get off to breakfast. Maybe have some cereal or fat-free anything. Elena keeps bringing me shoes and remote controls. SOO cute, that kid.

Toodles.

-Jason

My how she is growing...

I'll fix this drawer, daddy. First let me roll up my sleeves!

Future soccer star?

Intentional hand ball! Yellow card!

Why the long (albeit CUTE) face?!

Just wanted to share some more pictures I took this morning. Elena was having fun playing in the "sun room". It's basically our first project of the new house as it's an enclosed porch area that still has the original slat glass windows from the 50's. Our goal is to update it to be a usable room year round.

Elena basically likes to play with anything that's a non-toy; from drawers that need fixing to Swiffer dust mops to rubber mallets. I think we won't bother to buy her any more toys and just let her pick non-dangerous grown-up things for her to play with.

I have a lot to do today such as hang drapes, order drawer slides, and TRY to finish organizing the office. Hope everyone is having a great week!

-Jason

Elena meets iBert

Elena riding up front in her new iBert seat!

So again it's been a while since I've blogged. We JUST moved into our new house 4th of July weekend and really like it! The area is nice (minus the faint background din of I-71) and everything is SO convenient - shopping, food, Trader Joe's!

I wanted to share this picture cause it is super cute and this bike seat has to be the coolest thing going for kids. I highly recommend it (as do 300+ others who commented on Amazon). After a couple of short rides and Elena practically choking herself be rid of the helmet as she hates ANYTHING on her head, she finally didn't mess with her helmet the whole ride. She even had lots to babble about when we got back home - as of yet Jen and I have NO idea what she's saying, but she for sure is a talker! Egad!

We are slowly getting settled in and enjoying all the upgrades of our new house: bigger kitchen, partially finished basement, ATTACHED GARAGE! I could go on, but I won't. Elena seems to be right at home here and we can only imagine when we have to watch our little one get on a school bus for the first time. Fortunately, that's still a few years away. Phew.

So I shall end this short update blog with my usual promise of more to follow. Which of course is code for "don't hold your breath cause it may be a while before I post again". Ha ha.

-Jason