On turning 33

Another year older. Another year wiser. 

Isn't that what they say? Whoever the proverbial they is anyway. Hmph.


When I turned 30 it wasn't a big deal to me like it has been for some of my friends. I wasn't sad to say goodbye to my 20s, I wasn't depressed to be entering my 30s, it was just another day, really. I was thankful for a new decade and as I've continued to settle into this new age, I like it more and more. I like who I am better now than when I was in my 20s, I like who I think I am gonna become. 

But this year, August 12th came with some melancholy attached. I realized that by turning 33 I was older than my own mother when she gave birth to me. I was two years older than Palmer when he died and a whopping eight years older than Jenn at the time of her death. I realized that it was at the age of 33 (or so we think) that Jesus Christ have His life for mine. I'm not this much closer to my mid-30s. It all just felt heavy to me and so I started the day in a very pensive, quiet mood. 

It was a good day though, for sure. Matty was off (all week, actually!) and together as a family we enjoyed a lovely summer day. Kim babysat for us so we could have an afternoon date, something The Boy had planned. We tried Basil, a super-delicious restaurant in Short North that I fell in love with. The decor/architecture was as wonderful as the cuisine and the company wasn't too shabby either!

The weather was perfect and so we enjoyed walking around to shops before and after lunch for a bit. We stumbled upon this fabulousness outside of a salon and spa, randomly. Being part of Hannah Estabrook's Self Esteem Summer Camp the last several weeks, this sign felt especially poignant to me... and on my birthday no less!

The Boy had quite the surprise up his sleeve for me... A helicopter ride! And what might've been the bigger surprise, is though I am so afraid of heights and never really had a desire to go up in a helicopter and the freaking floor was glass and I could see straight down all the hundreds of miles, I did really well up there! I sat in the front next to the pilot and took in the lovely sights of Fairfield County. I mean, the day couldn't have been more picture perfect for such an excursion. Thank you, Lord!

I think we look pretty cute as "co-pilots"!

Back at home that night, the fam made me a tasty, summertime meal of barbecue ribs and roasted potatoes, onions and mushrooms all made on the grill. The beautiful salad came from our yard with some store bought extras and it was all so deliciously satisfying!

The day ended at the Upper Arlington Graeter's where everyone had a sweet treat but me. I didn't really care for one, but thought it would be fun to go there anyway! I love my sweet lil fam and I love that I am now 33. Here's to a new year!

The first day of summer!

Yesterday was a beautiful first day of summer and we were all too excited to celebrate it and bask in the  light of the longest day of the year!

The day started off a little muggy and gray, but that didn't stop us! A new friend, Merilee, so graciously offered to babysit for us in the morning so Blinn and I got to enjoy hot-out-of-the-oven cinnamon rolls at Sassafras Bakery with fresh Cafe Brioso coffee. Fannntastic.

Later, we met back up with the kids and ran some errands which included a stop at Lowe's for some landscaping stuff and supplies for making a picnic table! While J napped, these two took less than an hour to build this!

We ate dinner outside - such a summery meal of BBQ ribs, fresh green beans and corn on the cob... at the new table outdoors, of course!

After dinner we headed to the airport where we got to enjoy the fabulous sunset and see a couple of planes land. There wasn't as much activity there as we had hoped for, but the kids didn't mind. It was a fun way to soak in some of the moments of the longest day of the year. 

I was in love with how the soft sun looked on Zachari's skin so I wanted to snap some more photos of her. She however, wasn't in the mood for any sort of serious poses so this is what we got. I'm alright with it. She still looks beautiful and it would be silly of me to expect that every time I want my kids to stand a certain way in just the right spot they'll do it! These are the real moments of life - the goofy, hands-over-the-mouth memories that make up Zachari Jane.

After the airport, one more stop before heading home! It was the longest day of the year, after all, so we justified letting the kids stay up later and giving them sugar right before bed. What?! Coldstone Creamery has never really been on my radar as a place to go because when I've been there in the past, I found it to be too rich, too large of a portion. I had a coupon that Matt and I used and we learned that they had a dairy-free sorbet for the kids so it was a nice break from the norm. As you can see, Z was thrilled to get to have a special dessert: strawberry mango sorbet! She had to share the cup with J, but he ate more than half of it, I'm pretty sure! These kids sure get their sweet tooth from their papa!

It was a simple day, but one I am glad we shared together. I'm thankful for the change of seasons in this state. Its like a chance to to hit the restart button every few months.

Anniversary weekend

Over the weekend The Boy and I got to celebrate our 7th anniversary with time away from our kiddos and galavanting around downtown Columbus. It. Was. Excellent. 

We dropped the kids off at Kim and Carla's at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday and for the next 27 hours we enjoyed a completely kid-free weekend together! I had been craving some one-on-one time with my husband and was SO looking forward to the weekend. I was trying hard not to have expectations that were too lofty and that would easily disappoint, but the weekend met my expectations and then some. I'm so thankful for our time together!

Because I don't want to forget what almost felt like a second mini-honeymoon, here's a rundown of our day and a half as just Kelli and Matt.  

Saturday:

• Our first stop was for lunch at Cafe Brioso. For literally six months I've been wanting to sit there outside at a table with Matt and sip on coffee whilst watching the busy city buzz past us. I had this romantic idea of doing that in October as the fall chill was settling in, but that never happened. Enjoying a warm, sunny afternoon in the spring was just as good. We hadn't eaten there in forever and that veggie sandwich was just as delectable as I remember. My cuppa joe was perfection and the time to sit and eat a leisurely meal with my boyfriend without having to cut up food or hear whining or fasten J into a highchair was nice. 
• Next, Matty wanted to visit The Vault and the alley where we hung out right after the ceremony (where we snapped the above picture).  We walked around downtown for a bit and marveled at the cool city we are fortunate to live in and we reminisced about our wedding day and how little we knew about life then. 
• Next, Matt took me to this super cool warehouse for about an hour dreaming and scheming and tossing around home decor ideas. I love his creative mind and the chance to be creative with him. One of these days we'll own another house and together we will decorate it just-so. Excited.
• In the late afternoon we checked into the hotel, The Hilton Columbus Downtown (at least I think that's the official name) and it is beautiful! And yes, I took photos of the whole room, but for now, I'll just post these first few that we snapped together.

Our room window looked out to the lobby/restaurant area, this was our view.

• Soon after getting settled into our (very) temporary new digs we um... christened the bedroom and my - it was excellent! There's something so freeing and different and passionate about being able to connect like that with absolutely no chance of a child interrupting things. Love it!
• We were giddy over the beautiful, large shower in the room and we explored it...together to be followed by lounging around in cozy white bath robes provided by the hotel.

• Next was time in the hot tub for me and a few laps in the pool for Matt. Nothing exciting to report about that, except maybe that we had the whole place to ourselves which was kind of great! 
• One of my favorite parts of the weekend was the chance to get ready for our date in a leisurely, stress-free way. I showered after the hot tub, walked around in my robe and then later in just my undies and I just took my time getting ready. I did my hair, got dressed, accessorized and took my time doing it, good tunes were playing from the I-dock and it was lovely. Because we were in a suite we had one and half bathrooms. Ridic, I know. More bathrooms than where I live for real, but whatev! Matty took one part of the suite and I took another and we got ready separately so as to (sort of) have that wow factor with each other when we were all dolled up and ready for the night on the town. It was fun. Its the little things, really!
• We met in hotel bar around 6:45 p.m. and myyyyy goodness! There was SUCH a handsome gentleman waiting for me at the bar, sipping on his classy whiskey with the sun hitting him just so. Seriously. He looked amazing and I was so happy we got ready separately so we could have that silly lil moment.

• After hanging in the bar for a bit, we took the COTA bus to Rigsby's Kitchen for an 8:00 reservation. Matt got an IPA and we shared the Grilled Mozzarella Brochette appetizer which was mighty tasty. Nothing I'd ever dream up on my own to make and not really something I'd be naturally led to on the menu, but our persuasive waitress talked us into it. We weren't disappointed. For dinner Matt ordered the House Made Sausage Pizza while I enjoyed the Sea Scallops (with fingerling potatoes and bacon-wrapped green beans). The presentation of everything was beautifully elegant and everything was yummy. Definitely one of those places that's known for ambiance and presentation with price tags to match so probably not a repeat restaurant for us, but a good choice for the occasion, for sure.
• The weather was so spring-lovely so we took advantage of it and walked back down High St. to the Hiltom for dessert at the hotel restaurant. We were the only peeps in the place which alway seems sort of weird and the apple pie thingy Matt ordered was wildly disappointing and crazily overpriced. Oh well. Ya live and and learn.

• Back in the room The Boy whipped out a big ol bottle of Asti Spumante that he'd smuggled in inside his bag. Sneaky! He wanted to make a toast to our future and reflect on our past together. Precious man. He ended by reading me his would-be vows from our wedding day that he had misplaced. The part that sticks out the most?  "Kelli Marie Shearron, You're my sunrise and sunset... through the trees." ;) We laughed at the cheesiness of it for a while!
• To end the glorious day together we christened the king sized bed once more and whew! It was even more excellent than earlier in the day! (Z and J, I realize that one day you'll probably be reading through this blog and things like what I just typed will make you blush or gag or worse. Get it over it, Babes. You'll be thankful that I remembered the moments like these one of these days and then you'll fall in love and you'll have moments like these with your special person too. So there!)

Sunday:

• We slept in! I think we woke up sometime in the 8 o'clock hour and its funny that at this stage of our lives that's sleeping in, but it was great! And then, to round out the weekend, one more romp in the sheets and good Lord! It was the best that its been in a long time!!!! (Okay, now I'm blushing!)
• We took our time easing into the day and checked out of the hotel around 10 a.m.
• We walked to Cup O Joe on the cap and enjoyed fantastical coffee as we walked into the Short North and explored Philco We had an incredible meal  and we will be going back there soon! I got the Fried Egg Tacos (with chorizo!) and Matty ordered The Traditional. We shared the savory Hushpuppies which were a flavor letdown in comparison to my meal. But no matter. It was a good experience all around.
• After brunch we window-shopped around the Short North for a while, eventually got the car out of the Hilton garage and then we wandered around Franklin Park Conservatory for an hour or more. Again, the weather was picture perfect and we thoroughly enjoyed the chance to get to spend so much time outdoors doing what we wanted to do - a lot of nothing much at all!

• For a late lunch we made it over to Katalina's, another place I've been wanting to try and it was another new restaurant success! I got the Pesto Avocado sandwich which was a light, fresh, felt-pretty-healthy choice,  Matt got the club sandwich. The Shagbark chips that come with the sandwiches are chip perfection!  
• It was a bittersweet to end our weekend together when we picked up the kids between 3:30 and 4 p.m., but all good things must come to an end, right? We're so thankful for the help of Carla, Kim and Maryke for watching the kiddos overnight and taking great care of them and we're so thankful that we got a chance to truly celebrate our marriage together. 2013 was rough for us and that's putting it nicely. Here we are in 2014 now though, a new year, another year of marriage that's beginning and it felt like we truly had joy over our anniversary. Praise God!

Saturday date perfection

Yesterday The Boy and I got to have a daytime date. I think those are my favorite. Kristi so kindly took our kids for a few hours and together, Matt and I explored Old Towne East and all its charm. 

We had brunch at The Angry Baker (TAB),  a place I've had on my list of places to try out for quite a while. The teensy cute cafe type place with an even smaller outdoor patio did not dissapoint! I had the most flavorful Fork and Knife Burrito as well as a bacon and chives scone. Glorious! The husb chose a simple egg and cheese sandwich on the same delish scone and we both enjoyed the bottomless refills of java throughout our stay there. 

We had good conversation on that cute little patio. The kind of conversation that doesn't happen when with our children. Zachari and Jonathan are joyous gifts, there's absolutely no doubt about that. But when they're with us, the things Matt and I talk about are relatively surfacey, but yesterday we got to dream together and think outside the box a bit and for a few moments I had a taste of what we were like pre-parenthood.

We talked about our desire to sell Byall so that we can truly move forward and live life fully in Columbus. We've felt like there's been one foot in the past, while trying to move forward and until we're freed from the property up north, that's how its gonna be I guess. We shared our desires for what we want the Blinn family to be known for - the legacy we want to leave for the generations that will follow Matt and I. Its a crazy thing to think about our children having children and their children and their children. It was fun to dream about for a while though. And then what was probably my favorite part our time at TAB, we listed out what we'd like to find in our dream house. I'm not talking about mansions with pools and fancy luxuries, but just a normal little home that for us, would feel pretty perfect. Who knows what sort of home God has in store for us or if its even somewhere other than where we're living now for that matter! We prayed about our future, our future housing situation and for a little bit, I was sort of giddy about what is to come. 

After lunch we explored that cute little patch of Old Towne East (on foot) and I could actually see our family wandering those streets. I could see us opening the doors of our home to family and friends and strangers alike. I could see a life for myself there and I could picture what it might be like to do life on that side of Columbus. I was probably all caught up in the moment and the reality of us living there is probably pretty small. It doesn't hurt to pretend and even dream a bit though - and yesterday - we did!

After a few hours together we headed back to Kristi's to get the kids and from there we explored Franklin Park Conservatory. A beautiful day and such great family time. 

I'm thankful for our life in Columbus. I'm thankful for Raymond Matthew, Zachari Jane an Jonathan Francis. I don't deserve the gifts that I've been given, but man, I'm glad that I have them. 

Birthday date

Today The Boy and I got a few hours away from the littles (thanks to Lindsay) to enjoy an afternoon birthday date. The temperature was around 65˚ with a slight, cool breeze and a beautiful bright blue sky. The weather we've had this summer has been amazing. We started off super hot in May, but things have really cooled off and believe me, I am soaking. It. Up. 

Matt and I finally got over to The Crest which is just a few blocks from our house and always hoppin'. Gastropubs have become a fab in Columbus and The Crest is one of the finest ones, if you ask me. I enjoyed a perfect glass of riesling with my meal, but The Boy had a beer and loved it. I got the lamb burger for lunch. That's right, a burger made of lamb and it was fantastic! Topped with feta, onions, cukes, fresh mint and tzaziki sauce it was a culinary delight. I chose grilled zucchini for my side dish and it was actually a little too charred for my taste, but I had no problem devouring it anyway. Blinn got the standard beef burger topped with swiss and mushrooms and he enjoyed it with the hand-cut sweet potato fries. When it comes to being adventurous with food choices, I'm usually more likely to try something new and man, am I glad I did! We got to enjoy the day on the lovely patio and before leaving I took advantage of the complimentary cuppa joe being brewed by a Clintonville guy.

Mmm, I like us. ;) 

After lunch we went to the Gateway District and used a BOGO coupon to see The Wolverine. I still can't quite explain why I've gotten so into all the X-Men films, but I love em and to see this one on the big screen was a plus! We were the only peeps in the theater, it was strange, but also sort of nice. 

I love my husband and I love the dates we create for ourselves. This one happened to be one where we spent money, but often times no cash is exchanged at all. We've been part of each others' lives for ten years this fall and its hard to think of a time when he wasn't next to me, really. What a gift it is to have life... what a perfect gift it is to have life with Matthew Blinn by my side. 

Love you, sweet boy! I'm so glad we get to celebrate our birthdays together year after year!

Anniversary date

Six years. 

Most of the time, the years have flown by and I love that about our marriage. Then there are other times where each day has seemed like an eternity and while those weren't always my favorite days, I'm still thankful for them. They're part of our story. They are intricately weaved into who we are today, who we will continue to become together in the future. 

I have such a tremendous husband. This is no news, of course, but on our special day together, I was reminded just how great he is. My favorite part of the day was first thing in the morning, before the kiddos woke up. We kissed, hugged, and giddily brought our gifts to each other because we were so excited. I had fun wandering around Savor Growl trying to find the perfect beers to wet my man's palate the day before. With a little help from friends, I settled on a small growler of Ballast Point Sculpin IPA as well as the newly released 2013 Russian Imperial Stout by Stone. That's right - I know my stuff (sort of)! In addition to the booze, I got crafty and put together three shadowboxes, each containing a page of my wedding vows. The boxes were backed with the fancy cloth that was on our table at the reception and I used cute pink brads to attach the paper to the backing. I had fun creating my simple gift and The Boy loved it. Blinn's gift to me was a pair of Chacos! I have been wanting a pair for about a year, but we never had the money or I didn't feel I could justify such a purchase for m'self. This chap knows me so well and though a pair of sandals isn't the most romantic gift ever, I felt so gushy in love with him over them because he just knew!

Upon arriving at Central Vineyard later in the morning, we were greeted by several friends wishing us a happy anniversary which was a nice touch. Thank you, Facebook! After service we went home and waited for Ray and Theresa to arrive (they were more than 45 minutes late, grrr) to be with Z so we could get some lunch. Because of their tardiness, we weren't able to make it to Blinn's first choice for lunch because they closed early. Plan B was pretty great though: Block's Bagels! We went there a few times while dating because it was such a special place to me from childhood, but we hadn't been there in ages. It was a late, light lunch that hit the spot. I'm looking forward to taking Zachari Jane there. That girl won't know what to do with so many carb options all in one spot!

After lunch Blinn planned to take me to the art museum for a special exhibit that was outdoors and in stationary trucks. It was cold and drizzly so we opted to skip it since Jonathan was with us. We made a quick stop at Outdoor Source to exchange my sandals for the right size, then the Upper Arlington Caribou before heading back home for our girl. We took her to the Reids' so that we could make our dinner reservation and final stop of the day: Marcella's in Short North!

Marcella's has been on my list of restaurants I wanted to try for the entire two years we've lived here. My boy remembered and finally took me there. And goodness, the good and wine did NOT disappoint. Blinn got Capellini Pomodoro, I got a beef tortellini dish with mushrooms, wilted spinach and a creamy sauce. Insane. We each had a glass of wine - I enjoyed J Lohr's riesling, a fave and as a treat from the staff, we devoured chocolate almond cake. We had a table at the front window and shared good conversation about years past, the future, our dreams. 

It was a great day with my boys (though celebrating such an occasion with a babe is definitely different) and I'm so thankful for them. Here's to another SIXTY years, Matty Boy! I love you!

Perfect fall day

Saturday was great. Somehow, the month of September filled up really quickly and got a little bit out of hand as far as our busyness. I had been looking forward to Saturday, October 6th for a while, knowing that there was nothing planned and that we could possibly enjoy a nice, family, fall day together. And what did I get? Just that!

Z and I slept in a little and woke up to treats from Tim Horton's on the dining room table from our favorite boy. Soon after we enjoyed our donuts, the three of us got dressed for the day and headed to the farmer's market. It was a beautiful, chilly morning with lots of sunshine and not a gloomy cloud in the sky. 

I had been hoping to get to a pumpkin patch with the fam this fall, but feared that days would fill up too quickly and we wouldn't be able to squeeze it in. We went to one when Zachari was eight months old and took lots of photos there. Last year, we missed it completely, and so this year I wanted to resume the tradition. After we scored some great things at the market, The Boy made "an executive decision" and said we were going to a pumpkin patch! I was thrilled! We stopped at home to get snacks and our camera and off we went to Delaware where we met up with the Blinn grandparents and trekked through the muddiness of Miller's Farm to pick out our fall decor. 

Z was not into the wagon we rode from the farm out to the pumpkin patch because it was lined with straw and she didn't want to get dirty. What a priss I have on my hands. I have to say though, the apple didn't fall far from the tree because I know I was like that as a toddler... and might still be. Didn't matter to Mama and Papa though, we snapped some photos anyway! 

Still not so convinced, but she came around once we got onto the ground and got to find the perfect pumpkin for each of us.

By the time we were on the wagon ride back to the farm, Zachari had adopted one of the gourds as her phone. Once she learned what the it was called, she said "A gourd? That's like Gordon from Sesame Street! I'm gonna call him!" and on that phone she and Gordon chatted until we got off the wagon. A.Dorable.

We Blinns love the fall and I love it even more when I can be outside enjoying it with my loved ones. This time next year we'll tote two littles to a pumpkin patch and it'll be a blast! 

Honeymoon Flashback, Day 4

A day spent in the redwood forest... absolutely breathtaking. It smelled wonderful throughout the path and because of all the pine needles on the ground, each step we took was virtually silent. The weather was lovely and the sun peeking through the massive treetops was incredibly beautiful.