Last week my family packed up the minivan and headed 45 minutes north to go camping. Yes, you read that right. I went camping. My kids were shocked. My husband was shocked. I was shocked.  My husband and kids love to go camping and typically go several times a year so this was an elevated camping experience to my brand new experience.  They have been trying to get me to go with them and I always refused until we found Jellystone Park Columbus North. Now I can’t wait to go back. We arrived shortly after 4 pm on our first day and got started exploring right away. When we checked in th ..read more

Touch-a-Truck events hold such a special place in my heart because of how much my kids LOVE them. Seeing their faces light up at the site of a big fire engine or a dozer makes this mama’s heart very happy. I’m always searching for any Touch-a-Truck I can fit into our schedule and I thought I’d share my list with all of you. I hope this helps you plan your family adventures this spring/summer. If you know of one that isn’t on this list please comment and I’ll be sure to add it. May Touch-a-Truck Events Powell Touch a Truck: Friday, May 5, 2023: 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.  Enjoy an afternoon of ..read more

Looking for the perfect family-friendly event to get outside this spring? The Franklin Conservatory is holding their annual Pollinator Palooza in honor of National Pollinator Week.  My family and I LOVE attending this event and the opportunity to come together as a community to celebrate our local gardens makes it that much more special. Pollinator Palooza has a variety of learning opportunities, the chance to connect with local pollinator advocacy organizations, crafts, music, garden tours, and more to enjoy. This is a free event, open to all, no tickets required! Note that the event wi ..read more

A few weeks ago I sat in my doctor’s office with a long list of things I wanted to discuss. My doctor had left the practice so I had to establish care with someone new. It felt like a great time to address all of the things I’ve had on my mind. We knocked through the easy items pretty quickly. ✅ Anxiety medicine refill ✅ Request for full set of labs ✅ Heel pain The doctor had 30 minutes for my appointment and we went over by 45 minutes (so incredibly thankful) because she listened to me as I explained my relationship with food, my struggle to eat most of the time, and how desperately I want to ..read more

POLLINATOR PALOOZA  We love the Franklin Park Conservatory + finding fun new events to attend as a family which is why we are excited to attend the Pollinator Palooza next month! If your kids love birds, bees, butterflies, and all of the creatures that make our gardens grow as much as my kids do - then mark your calendars because they will LOVE this event.  June 25, 2022, in conjunction with National Pollinator Week, Franklin Park Conservatory will be hosting Pollinator Palooza, a free event for the community. Attendees will get to engage with various organizations that are raising a ..read more

I’ve shared a lot about The Salvation Army and their LemonAiD campaign this summer, but it wasn’t until recently that I got to visit one of the Salvation Army Learning Centers.  Filled with smiles, structure, and kindness, this particular Learning Center hosts their own lemonade stands all summer long.  It was so fun talking with the children at the center and hearing directly from them on why they love giving back to the community. With ages ranging from 6-12 and various interests, the lemonade stands for kids in their community are a lot of fun and a topic for great conversations a ..read more

Getting our kids involved in giving back to the community is something that most parents I talk to are really passionate about.  We want our children to understand more of the world around them and how even the smallest actions can make a big difference. I personally love the LemonAiD program with The Salvation Army Central Ohio where children host a lemonade stand (in person or virtual) and give back to their community. 100% of the funds raised are used to provide food and programs that lift children out of homelessness and poverty. It is a great way to make that first introduction into ..read more

My son and I hosted our first LemonAID stand at Easton Town Center a few years ago. It all started with me wanting to teach my children that no matter their age, they can do good in the world.  It was a beautiful day, full of sunshine, meeting new people, giving back to our community, and cold refreshing lemonade.  This year our LemonAID stand, in support of the Salvation Army, will be even better because it’s become an annual tradition that we look forward to every year.  I know that we are not the only family who is interested in teaching our children about giving back to our ..read more

Franklin Park Conservatory is an absolute family favorite. We love it there.  I could spend all day exploring and taking it all in and thankfully my kids love it just as much, especially the Children’s Garden.  In just a few weeks you can celebrate the birds, bees, butterflies, and all of the creates that make our gardens grow during Pollinator Palooza!!  It’s already on our schedule and we CANNOT WAIT! The best part? It’s FREE! You don’t need reservations or tickets to take part in Pollinator Palooza.   Let’s go over some of the most important details  Saturday ..read more

Thank you to my dear friend Terra for writing this piece so we can all learn from her. You can follow her podcast Normal with Autism, on Instagram for more amazing content. All I want for April is acceptance. In March of 2014, I sat in a small sterile office at the local children’s hospital with my husband and youngest son. He was 2 1/2 years old at the time, and we were waiting for the conclusions of an autism screening that involved several helping professionals and lasted 4 hours. We wanted to hear the good news that all the therapies and work we completed over the last 12 months paid off ..read more