Oh, Hi Yo!

We just came back from a visit to Ohio to see family...

and Abraham Lincoln. NBD.

The Spouse's mom lives in a suburb right outside Cleveland and after being there for several days, I kind of want to move there.

Behind us: acres of forest and lots of deer.

Giant trees and green lawns abound. Sprawling metroparks criss-cross large areas devoted to biking and hiking. Community recreation centers boast everything a healthy family would need at a mere annual membership costing just $145 - full service gyms, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, preschool programs, adult community programs, AND FREE CHILD CARE.

Did I mention free child care?

Our entire trip can be pretty much summed up in this way:
Libraries, swimming, playgrounds, rinse and repeat.

Here's proof:

We went to 3 different local branches, each with fantastic play areas for the preschool set.

Another day, another library.

And we went swimming way too often. I had to get over my lifelong disgust of soaking in other people's fluids. Let's just say, it got really hard when I was around a giant group of kids and the water felt suddenly very warm.

Noah gives this places two thumbs up!

Noah didn't like this place as much, despite the giant pirate ship.

And to complete the trifecta - playgrounds! Lots and lots of very nice playgrounds!

Sprinkled in there was a few tourist traps, including the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. Noah was super excited to see the rhino (since we've never seen one at California zoos), but when we got there, it was on its lunch hour! The nerve of some animals.

Sorry Noah, this cutout was the closest you got to seeing a rhino.

I assumed the zoo would be meh - seen one, you've seen them all - but I was pleasantly surprised by the Rainforest exhibit that boasted animals I never knew existed - like the capybara, the largest rodent on earth - crazy!

This guy is roughly the size of a grown pig - the inspiration for Okja, methinks.

Our one and only family pic that wasn't a selfie.

Of course we had to visit at least one museum so we chose the one that was the most fun from last year - the Space and Science Museum. The only new exhibit was on Legos so it felt like we just paid $100 to go to a giant Lego store. Ugh.

We built an arch! Sort of.

Still my favorite exhibit, the harmonograph.

And last, but not least, we attended a Civil War Reenactment, because, well, why not. I regret not getting a selfie with President Lincoln, but at least the kids got a picture with him. He handed out shiny pennies but no aphorisms or witticisms, unfortunately.

The day's climax was a battle that included cavalry, cannons, and a twice as many Union soldiers as Southern rebels, and yet the rebels won. The kids got bored quickly and smelled like gun powder for the rest of the day.

So realistic against the backdrop of the Ohio woods.

Two brothers on their way. One wore blue and one wore gray.

Obligatory photo with a gatling gun. Because gatling gun.

If you ask Judah what his favorite part of the trip was, he would unhesitatingly chirp - My birthday party with Grandma and Grandpa Neil!

Judah turned 7 in the middle of our trip and we feted with a homemade chocolate cake with chocolate icing made by our resident baker, Grandpa Neil. It was so good, all you could hear when we cut the cake was a chorus of "mmmmmm, mmmmmmm, mmmmmmm" for a good 5 minutes.

Other home baked goods we enjoyed during the trip include: corn bread, chocolate cookies with peanut butter chips and coconut, and chocolate chip pancakes. I couldn't wear the same pair of jeans upon my return home. And it was well worth it.

Add to that all the hearty soups my mother-in-law made, and there you have it - the most delicious trip we've ever taken.

But it was also exhausting. Although the kids traveled a lot easier and better than they ever have before in their short lives, it was still a constant struggle to keep them from bouncing around destructively indoors and melting down in boredom or exhaustion. And being with them 24-7 is never going to be a walk in the park.

But they do reward you with the most random things. I swear, the Spouse just asked Noah to smile so he could take a picture of us coloring together...and Noah did this.

Things like this remind me - my kids are just plain weird.