Sunday, February 27, 2011

Couch Potato Weekend . . . thankfully

WOW - - work has been kinda kicking my butt this past week and even worse I have been feeling sick, so; while I was happy as a tuna fish in the open ocean to see the kids this weekend (28 - 30 January) I was also not feeling very well and hoping that we could simply "hang out" together. Thankfully - the kids were up for that too!

Except for venturing out for needed items and a short "sledding" trip we stayed close to home. Of course we still had a great deal of fun playing the Wii, board games, tag, building a "paper circus", fixing the "weasel" and simply being near each other.

Without too many words here is our weekend in pictures, enjoy:


Hannah's Paper Circus (thx's to Family Fun Magazine for the idea!).


Another view of our "circus".


Knoah helping with the circus.


Surgery on the "Weasel".


A happy Hannah with the "Weasel" in post-op!


Jacob and Knoah . . . .playing the Wii.

Sadly, as is always the case the weekend ended too soon and the kids had to go back to Monroe and to there Mommy way to early for me. But - Knoah did a great job of giving me the best reminder of how wonderfully relaxed, happy and inviting this weekend was . . .



. . . . like normal, I missed them as soon as I dropped them off and was texting Jacob within hours! But I know that I will see them in just a couple of days - hopefully we will all have the energy to go out and do something together, if not . . . just being with each other is kinda awesome too!

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Weekend in C-bus . . . and MLK Day. . .


"The greatest film of the last thirty years or so, man."

Laura's sister Kristi is a pharmacy major at "the" Ohio State University and Laura had learned back in December that over the weekend they would be playing one of my all time favorite films "The Big Lebowski" at Studio 35 in Columbus so we decided to make the trip for a nice "weekend" away.

The sort and sweet of it is . . . (1) Cosi Columbus is AWESOME! (2) who knew that there were more than 200 types of Gecko's? (3) OSU is a beautiful campus and downtown Columbus seems equally wonderful (can't wait till the weather breaks to go see it again). (4) White Russian's RULE! ! (5) I missed Gino during the movie, I think he would have enjoyed it (inside joke . .). (6) Studio 35 ROCKS (OK - nearly any theater that has tables in front of your seat and a full bar has to be cool!). (7) You can get some pretty good chicken strips at 1:00 am at Raising Cane's in C-bus! (8) You would be amazed where you can find "sparkly - flying pigs". (9) Albion Burmese Python's are really heavy and (10) . . Man -- I miss Jacob, Hannah and Knoah when I don't see them! !


Laura and I infront of Posiden at COSI in Columbus.

It was a great get away and I am so happy that Laura asked me to go, thank you. I am starting to understand that with work (yes, I do work three to four days over each week - i.e. 12 - 16 hour days), weekends committed (having "Jannob" Friday - Sunday) that I need some "down time" to decompress and be healthy.


Laura, Me, Kristi and . . . . the Snake!

After returning to Adrian I had a wonderful nights sleep and then headed to Monroe to spend the day with Jacob, Hannah and Knoah. Although not the best way to spend MLK day the three of us enjoyed going to the movies and then having dinner at McDonald's with my niece's daughter and my Dad. I was able to give the kids the gifts I picked them up during my visit to Columbus and then I headed home to begin the next three days of overtime!

I have been thinking about the kids, my life, my future and Laura alot of late - and for good reason. I am not getting younger and I know that I am coming to peace with my life and what it has become. It has not been easy but it has been necessary that I learn to deal with and accept those things that I cannot change and to embrace the things that enhance my life and make it better. Music has become, once again, a huge important thing to me and I have fallen back in love with Van Morrison and have found myself finding new meaning to his music and a new outlook. It's a good time to be a father and although is sounds "weird" at my age it's good to have a "girlfriend" who has shown me something in myself that I have forgotten.



A couple more images from our quick trip to Columbus.


Laura and I at COSI . . in the ol'wagon!


At Studio 35 . . with a White Russian ("hey, careful, I have a beverage here, man!") and a Walter "cupcake".

Links to some really "cool" places in Columbus:

http://www.studio35.com/

http://www.raisingcanes.com/