out & about – Page 3

Zoo-ish (What can I say? I like birds.)

April 12, 2015 Marie Leave a Comment

We made a trip today to the zoo. I’m fortunate enough to live within easy driving distance to the fantastic Columbus Zoo. I don’t think I ever truly appreciated it until I went and visited other zoos elsewhere. We really do seem to have one of the best zoos, at least when it comes to Ohio – it isn’t like I’ve traveled elsewhere to see if there’s any other that compares.

It was the kid’s first trip and it went pretty much as expected – he’d rather chew on the wood at the displays and didn’t really care about the animals. It was busy, though, since it’s one of the nicer days we’ve had in a while on a weekend. We didn’t get to see the whole zoo, but I don’t mind because we got to see my favorite: the aviary. I know, I know – the zoo is packed full of other animals to see and ones probably more interesting than some North American birds. I can’t help it. I like birds. We have a zoo pass for the season, so I’ll probably try to go back on a weekday in hopes that it’s less busy so we can get closer. Maybe if we go a few times the Little Mr will get more into it?

This evening I’m going to cut into my fabric for my next Sorbetto. I wore my black one today under a green cardigan and I absolutely love how comfortable it is to wear, which really cemented my desire for MOAR TANKS! So here’s hoping this next one turns out as awesome as the first!

Caroling, caroling

December 14, 2014 Marie Leave a Comment

There was a free holiday sing-a-long at the local theater today, so off we went and tucked ourselves into a small side aisle just in case we needed to dash out to the lobby with the baby if he started fussing. The afternoon was a mix of listening to the organists play on the old Wurlitzer and sing-a-long songs. The first one we sang was Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town and I had to fight back tears. I don’t know what, exactly, it was that made it happen, but I hit this super emotional wall and had to fight to maintain control or else I was going to be a sobbing mess and the other people around me would probably think I’m crazy.

I read this today, and I think I’m going to post it somewhere where I might see it a lot. I need to read this over and over again. I need to read it when I’m panicking about things not being perfect and just right. I need to read it when I try to make things perfect and they fail. Over, and over, and over again.

But this year while the world rushes around you, may you hold your sweet baby in your arms and realize that on this first Christmas, your baby will find no greater joy than in you. Because you are Mommy and you make everything beautiful just by being you.

Tomorrow… tomorrow I finish up wrapping presents. They’re not the handmade holiday gifts like I have always imagined I’d give – there’s no time with a job and a little one – but so far I can at least say that the holidays are shaping up, in other ways, just as I had long hoped and dreamed for.

Cabin in the woods, round 4.

November 9, 2014 Marie 1 Comment

4th annual knitting weekend. Chugged away on the baby’s holiday stocking, started (and promptly screwed up) a new sweater for myself – I’m just going with it, anyway – and even dyed some lovely sock yarn (with food coloring/Kool-Aid, of course – I took a cue from Chalk Legs and used the sprinkle method along with a bit of liquid food coloring for a bit more intense color on the yellow. I will definitely be trying to dye more yarn like this as soon as I knit up some of what I already have!)

More than happy to be home, however. This year was… different. I didn’t enjoy my time there as much. And I missed my husband and son terribly. I think maybe the weekend would have been better if it had been 100% solo. I just feel like maybe I needed some time to be completely alone with my thoughts in the woods. Oh well, back to real life.

Dream house

October 19, 2014 Marie Leave a Comment

I often waver between wanting to stay in town and wanting to be out in the country in the middle of nowhere. I love both ideas, and have a horrible time deciding which I’d rather. This is complicated by the fact that I live on the edge of a really, truly lovely neighborhood with beautiful homes. These days the housing developments I see cropping up are full of cookie cutter-looking homes. They lack character and charm, and I often feel like I’m wandering through a sea of white and beige as I drive through them. Our little neighborhood is filled with lovely homes of various sizes, and walking through is practically park-like with all the large lovely trees.

This house is my dream house. I have always loved and probably will continue to always love it – the landscaping, the brick, the way the two trees flank the door, the way the path curves, the little wooden-with-metal-roof addition… This, dear friends, is probably a house that I will never ever be able to afford (there’s a reason why we live on the edge of the neighborhood). But every time I walk by I like to look at it and dream. The only possible way it could be more perfect is if it was set on a few acres of land out of town. With a sweet little chicken coop to match the style of the house.

Girls night

September 21, 2014 Marie Leave a Comment

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Phillip Fox Band. Also known as me admitting that I don’t hate everything that sounds even slightly country. Expanding my horizons I guess you could say.