Favorite Things

Here's a few things we're loving as of late.

Nollie:

1. Our yard

Thanks to a month of nonstop record rainfall (7+ inches - no joke), the lawn is lush and green and our foliage is blooming. Andy cut the grass twice twice last week and spent an hour trimming everything to perfection. Now we're just crossing our fingers that the sun will show up so we can actually go outside to enjoy it.

I used to think I could never live somewhere characteristically drizzly like Seattle or Portland, but have since discovered that Columbus gets more rain, on average, than either Pacific Northwest city or even London. Now the world is my oyster - If we can thrive here, we can survive anywhere! This morning we went to the mall playground to run out some pent up energy and then get a good sugar blast from the candy store strategically situated right next to the play area. Like all real estate, location is everything. Ben only had 25 cents to spend but wanted dark blue M&Ms, so we had to have the lady weigh and then dump out a dwindling bagful of candies multiple times so he could stay within his budget. I ended up pitching in a nickel when after the fifth effort the total came to 30 cents.

Is there anywhere you'd love to live or have sworn you'd never want to be? Has spring arrived where you are or you also experiencing some peculiar or severe weather?

2. Our local Goodwill store

I love a good bargain and part of the beauty of thrift stores is the hunt. Like the Goodwill I frequented regularly during our summer in Dayton because I had no friends and no life, this Goodwill also gets brand new items from Target. Apparently it also has generous benefactors who donate killer size 9 shoes. My two latest scores were barely-worn pointy toe leather heels from Aldo, one of my favorite shoe stores, in purple croc and cognac. They fit in nicely with my other footwear finds of Ann Taylor stacked heel and hot pink satin peep toes. The most beautiful part of all - they each cost a mere $4.

3. Celebrations
So fun to have an excuse to get together with friends. Congrats and good luck to Sarah, who is due any day with a little girl.


Ben:

1. Wall-E

Thanks to the magic of DVR, Ben has now watched it approximately six times in the past two weeks. Here Andy's with him watching it for the first time. I didn't like the movie initally, but it's grown on me. Love that feisty Eva! Kudos to Pixar for making a movie is so witty and engaging despite very little spoken dialogue.

2. Playing ball

Every spare second he can get, Ben is outside playing baseball, basketball, foursquare, or golf with his friends or Andy. He's also enrolled in soccer at the YMCA and we've had fun watching him tear around the field while his skills improve.

Lucy:

1. Coloring

Did you notice in the above picture with Andy and Ben that Lucy has dragged her coloring book outside? She focuses intensely on her Sesame Street pictures, even when friends are around. Beware the child who tries to distract her from her efforts! Every morning she runs to where the art supplies are kept and asks to "woh woh." Translation: color.

Another closeup of Lucy hard at work, finding her muse in nature.

2. Cousin Harper!!!!

Lucy and Ben (but Lucy in particular) love to look at pictures of their cousin Harper, who is a pint -sized celebrity in their eyes. She has a fabulous wardrobe and all her comings and goings are carefully, cleverly, and adorably documented on their family blog. Lucy will jump into the chair and say, "There's Harper, more Harper!" and won't be satisfied until she's seen at least five minutes of pictures and two videos. She even created her own soundtrack to this post of Harper doing various things. If Harper's folding her arms, Lucy folds her arms. If Harper's petting a horse, Lucy says "Neigh." If Harper's touching her toes, so does Lucy. If Harper's eating a pickle, Lucy says "Mmmm" to the screen. We're proud to be raising a little stalkerazzi. What will happen when she actually sees Harper in person this summer?