Summer Days with Mama

Thank God for summer!  I mean, seriously. 
Thank. God. 
​
We are two weeks into summer break here with The Little Outdoorsman, and we are finally getting our feet under us again.  The end of the school year was bananas with the typical May craziness, a pretty bad case of bronchitis (bronchitis + asthma = bad.  Who knew?), a new niece and nephew added to the family (post coming soon!), and Jacob traveling all over the continent.  To be honest, I was in complete survival mode.

I don't know that I can even remember parts of May.  I have blocked them out.  My mind will recover them when it's ready, I guess.

Kidding-- of course!  It's all good!

Mommy's home! Yes!

Reed and I have spent the past few weeks reconnecting with friends, family, and each other, cleaning the house, taking care of things that went by the wayside in May, and exploring some of our favorite spots in Cincinnati.  

Where shall we go today?

The Little Outdoorsman has lived up to his name over the past weeks.  He has been in heaven as we pack up the car each day to explore a new place.

Our first adventure was to the Cincinnati Zoo, where we fed giraffes, talked to monkeys, gawked at tortoises, and laughed at elephants eating hay. (They ignored us, unlike these amazing giraffes.)

The Cincinnati Nature Center was trip #2.  We chose the second-shortest trail and it took us over an hour.  I am not ashamed to say it was only .66 miles long, because those .66 miles were filled with so many memories, conversations, and teachable moments that it seemed to go by very quickly.  Our nature center here in Cincy is top-notch.  We will visit every week, try to hike all 15 trails, and hopefully get a little bit faster. 

But if we don't, that's okay, too.

We spent a weekend day at Charm at the Farm with my Mom (AKA "Nana").  Charm at the Farm is an outdoor market in Lebanon, Ohio that is  jammed-packed with creative vintage and antique vendors and Amish soft pretzels that make me lose my mind a little bit.

Finally, we registered our passes and went out to King's Island, a nearby theme park.  Kiddie Land might actually be even more fun for me as an adult.  Watching my son laugh hysterically while I eat popcorn in peace?  Yes, please!

When we aren't having "adventures", Reed and I have been visiting my family's pool, sitting at the river, digging in the sandbox, cooking, and visiting various parks in our area. ​

No work, no email, no grad school.  Just family.

It has been wonderful to be "just mom" for the past two weeks and enjoy this absolutely delightful stage of three and a half.  It is a blast!  Everyone says "terrible threes," and I have no idea what they are talking about (I was similarly lost in the terrible twos).  I've never had so much fun in my life.

 I am looking forward to building a summer full of memories, and I hope you will join us along the way!

To get the quickest updates on The Little Outdoorsman's activities, be sure to follow me on Instagram! (@rebekah.soulfoodtime)

If you followed the blog last summer, I shared some of our travels around town and out West.  I hope to travel and share much more this summer as we travel here in Cincinnati and a few new faraway places as well!

Have any suggestions for Cincy travels?  Drop them here in the comments!