Youngs Jersey Dairy.

     It is a little surreal introducing your very own baby to a place that occupies a special spot in your childhood memories. It is not so much that Young's Jersey Dairy is this amazing place, it is more that in a town where relatively cheap, fun family activities are not in excess, Young's fills the gap and therefore stands out as very unique.
     Our family didn't spend money on "going out." Eating at a restaurant, going to the movies, or activities that cost money were a once a month kind of thing. So when we did experience life outside of homemade meals and Blockbuster movie nights it was an extremely exciting treat! Also, to be completely honest, any place that serves ice cream is going to be memorable to me. I am a true ice cream lover. Not the snooty kind, just the "I will always choose ice cream over other desserts" kind (and I LOVE dessert so that is saying something).
     When my family went to Young's the night consisted of mini-golf where the goal was always to beat dad. Then we would walk over to view the goats and other animals before heading inside for some tasty goodness. Summer evenings enjoying the sun, mixed with some fun family competition and sugar makes for good memories. Even though Tobias was not old enough to fully grasp the enjoyment to be had, he was a good sport! It will be fun to visit again when he is a little older.

Nana.

“Some people care too much. I think it's called love.” 

― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

Sister Therapy.

     She's spunky and cute, crazy and fun, raw and put together, and I love every facet of her beautiful personality. There is no friend like a sister and I was blessed with an amazing one! Spending the week at Mimi's and Poppi's was just as refreshing for me as it was for Tobias. Going home will always be one of my favorite trips. Ohio is glorious in it's own right, mostly because of the people, but that light and those fields are pretty awesome too.

Folly Beach, Charleston SC

     I have high hopes of being an adventurer and explorer, but by the time the weekend comes along a lot of times it's just easier to lay around and enjoy family, catch up on sleep, and keep the babies routine the same. It helps the craziness of Sunday seem more manageable, especially when the baby is well rested and happy. . . but by the time Monday rolls around, I always feel a little disappointment if we haven't maximized our time and "done" something. I try and temper that feeling with a realistic expectation that not every weekend will be full of crazy escapades, it's just not who we are 100% of the time and that's okay. But when it does happen it's hard to explain just how refreshing and fun it is.
     This past weekend was one of those times. I had mentioned going to Atlanta to Gray the night before, but we didn't have any plan. The next morning when the baby awoke Gray asked if I'd rather go to the beach instead. Um yes! It's a little embarrassing admitting this, but in the two and a half years that we've lived only three hours from the beach we had yet to go and enjoy it. . . By eight thirty the baby was fed, the car was packed and we were on the road.

     We got to the beach around noon and after conquering the parking situation we came face to face with beautiful ocean. We spent a good three hours enjoying the sun and watching Tobias marvel at all the new sights and sensations and when we had had almost too much we packed up and decided to head into Charleston for some grub. We found the downtown market on our way and moseyed around before eating at Hyman's Seafood, oh my word so good, and grabbing Chocolate Chip Tollhouse Pie from a dessert shop. Then we headed home around six and dreamed big dreams together while the baby slept peacefully in the back seat. These are the days I definitely want to remember.