Then and Now: 2013 edition

I love the way photos help us mark the passage of time, particularly when it comes to the growth of young kids. One of the things I hope to do now and then on this blog is show, in a visual way, how our adventures change as the Arrows grow older. I've done this before, but now that Little Arrow is in the mix, it's even more fun to look back.

In 2011, my husband captured this moment during our trek to the pumpkin patch at Nienabers Farm Market.

Fast forward a year during our return to Nienabers, sit on the same bench, and replace that big pregnant belly with an 11-month old. (We also got a new camera... huge difference!)

At the 2011 Indiana State Fair, Big Arrow couldn't get enough of Little Hands on the Farm, especially feeding the pig.

He was still pretty enamored with the pig in 2012 (and was also willing to wear the hat and apron they provide).

All while Little Arrow observed intently, quietly plotting his pig-feeding tactics for the 2013 fair.

During our 2011 trip to St. Petersburg, Florida, I relaxed on a beach chair at Fort De Soto Park and watched these two play in the water.

In 2012, I still watched these two play at Fort DeSoto.

I just did it from a beach blanket while nursing Little Arrow.

I can only imagine what 2013 will have in store for us and how quickly our lives and travels will change. Thankfully, I'll always have pictures to help me remember (particularly because the sleep deprivation and constant toddler chasing means I hardly recall what I ate for breakfast...)

Thanks for joining me on a little walk down memory lane!

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

Zaharakos for the Holidays (video)

There are just some places that I struggle to really capture with the written word. (This does not bode well for my writing career, unfortunately.)

Zaharakos, the 1900 ice cream parlor and soda fountain here in Columbus, Indiana, where we call home, is that sort of place. I've written about Zaharakos here and for Visit Indiana, but I've never felt like I've done it justice. And during this season of good cheer, it's all decked out in its holiday finest, making it even harder to describe.

So this time around, I went with video and put this little ditty together for the Columbus Visitors Center, where I've been blogging regularly over the last few months. My video skills could use some work too, but at least its a new take on one of our favorite spots.



Yes, you saw that correctly, I do in fact feed my baby ice cream. These kids won't grow big and strong on fruits and veggies alone. In fact, a giant serving of their chocolate ice cream was the last thing I ate before having Little Arrow a year ago!

Here are a few other photos from our recent visit.

I think my favorite part of Zaharakos' atmosphere is the chairs. It makes me really nostalgic for the ice cream shop my family went to when I was a little girl. And I love that I'm giving the Arrows those same memories.

Mmmmm. Soda syrups!

Someday he'll love me enough to look at the camera and smile.


This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby and Friday Daydreamin' at R We There Yet Mom?

Don't forget to check out my Passports with Purpose prize, an Ergobaby Carrier and Travel Pack!

Nienaber's Farm Market

Last year I wrote about how excited I was to add a new "pumpkin" to our family when we made our annual trek to Nienaber's Farm Market. So even though I went to a different pumpkin patch with Big Arrow on his field trip earlier this month (to Hackman's Farm Market), there was no way I was going to let fall slip by without taking both my pumpkins to our traditional "patch."

Our first challenge when we got to Nienaber's was what to do with Little Arrow since he's not quite walking (and thankfully, no longer in the womb like he was last year!) Naturally, we plopped him in the wagon meant for hauling pumpkins. Dirt and all.

And then we let Big Arrow do the hard work of pulling him. Lazy parenting at its finest.

Big Arrow was our official pumpkin selector.

And Little Arrow had to keep all the pumpkins in the wagon. He was happily up to the task.

So where did our pumpkins end up? Mom and Dad finally took on some work of their own.

 

I'd show you the final product but let's just say we carved our pumpkins a week or two early and they are currently in a state of serious rot on our front porch. Ick.


This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby and Friday Daydreamin' at R We There Yet Mom?

St. Petersburg Saturday Morning Market

One of the benefits about returning to a place year after year is it helps you mark the passage of time (as if the wrinkles and graying hair weren't enough). My three trips to the St. Petersburg Saturday Morning Market illustrate the point well.

On my first visit, I was 7 months pregnant with Big Arrow. I wanted to order food from every single stand I saw (I resisted and settled for a single empanada).

My husband and I could leisurely chat with vendors without being pulled along. There were no strollers, no worries about hungry kids or overtired babies. We definitely traveled to the beat of our own drum. I think we spent nearly 2 hours at the market that morning, listening to music and making a few purchases.

That drumbeat changed to the pace of a toddler on our next trip to this St. Petersburg farmer's market. Fortunately (or unfortunately), Big Arrow had woken up way too early that morning, so he was content to rest in his stroller as we walked through the market. Coffee and tea were our first stop. Did I mention he had woken up VERY early? But like most kids that age, the only way he was happy was if that stroller was moving. I think we wrapped up our trip in 20 minutes.

He did like those same empanadas though. Maybe he remembered them!

This year, we tackled the market with Big Arrow mostly on foot and Little Arrow in a carrier. Little Arrow missed most of the excitment, snoozing away. But we found that at nearly 3, Big Arrow's attention span and interest in the market was much improved. He petted baby chicks at one stand. He marveled over the Balloon Guy (and even got a blue doggie balloon to call his own). And once again, we noshed on those delicious empanadas.

I have no doubt we'll visit the market again someday. It'll probably involve chasing Little Arrow from booth to booth.

I sure hope that empanada stand is still there.

If you enjoyed this post, you might also be interested in our 2011 Trip to Tampa/St. Petersburg, our 2012 Trip to Madeira Beach or our walk around downtown St. Petersburg (where the market is held). I also wrote these tips for visiting a farmer's market with kids.

If You Visit:
St. Petersburg Saturday Morning Market
1st Avenue between 3rd and 4th Streets, downtown St. Petersburg
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Street parking is available throughout the area.
Insider Tip: Come hungry. Unlike many markets where I live (where produce stands dominate), the market in St. Petersburg has a lot of hot, prepared food vendors ready to offer you breakfast or lunch.


This post is a part of Wanderfood Wednesday at Wanderlust and Lipstick.

Lucca Grill in Bloomington, IL

Back in November, my husband and I road tripped up to Madison, Wisconsin for a dear friend's wedding. If you do the math, you'll calculate that I was 9 months pregnant in mid-November (Little Arrow was born December 1). It's about a 7 hour drive, so needless to say I got very hungry. A fun lunch spot was just what the doctor ordered (actually, my doctor probably would have frowned upon this trip to begin with).

I used the Trip Advisor iPad app to help me decide on a good spot near Bloomington, Illinois. We're not familiar with the city whatsoever, but a recommendation for Lucca Grill popped up. They're known for their pizza and that sounded delicious to me. Never one to get in the way of a very pregnant lady's wishes, my husband drove straight there even though it wasn't exactly right off the highway.

It was a charming spot, just a corner pub that's obviously been serving the local community for decades. Established in 1936, the interior is authentically historic. There was a really cool tin ceiling that I should have snapped a photo of.

And the pizza did not disappoint. Here's the mushroom pizza I ordered.

And this is the after shot. (Hey, I had a growing babe to feed!)

If you're ever passing through the area, consider veering a little off the beaten path and indulging in some good, old-fashion pizza.

If you're curious, I managed to get there, be a bridesmaid and have a wonderful time with my girlfriends, and get back home without going into labor.

If You Visit:
Lucca Grill
116 East Market Street, Bloomington, IL
Open Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.
While it is a pub, kids are welcome and there is a children's menu.

This post is a part of Wanderfood Wednesday at Wanderlust and Lipstick.

Gray Brothers Cafeteria

Cafeterias have long held a place in Hoosier diners' hearts. But most of the cafeterias that used to dot just about every town on the map in Indiana have sadly long since been replaced by chain restaurants. There's one exception to that: Gray Brothers Cafeteria in Mooresville, Indiana. Known as much for the line that stretches out the door as its traditional and homey food, it is only about 15 minutes from where I grew up.

I remember eating there for the first time when we moved to Indiana, and how foreign it seemed to my very New England family. But we quickly learned our way around the cafeteria line. Before long, the enormous dining rooms, roaring fire places, and crisp, juicy fried chicken seemed like home to us.

To read more about the cafeteria dining experience at Grays, read my post about Gray Brothers Cafeteria for Visit Indiana here. Or watch a clip about Gray Brothers when it was featured on Man v. Food on the Travel Channel here.

A couple of months ago, at the height of my pregnancy cravings, I visited my parents for dinner. Cue my dad walking in the door with the unmistakeable Grays takeout bags. I hadn't been to Grays in years, but it still tasted exactly the same.

It really is as good as it looks.

If You Visit:
Gray Brothers Cafeteria
555 S. Indiana Street, Mooresville, IN
Insider Tips: The line moves fast, but if you don't have time, head to the carry-out entrance on the northside of the building and get your meal to go.

You can also order whole pies. Trust me, once you try them, you'll agree that one slice just isn't enough.

This post is a part of Wanderfood Wednesday at Wanderlust and Lipstick.

Native American Baby Wearing

I spent a lot of time researching baby carriers before Little Arrow was born. It was the one thing I wanted to splurge on (turns out some sneaky family members knew all about this and surprised me with my favorite choice, the Ergo Baby Carrier*). Expect to see lots of pictures of Little Arrow tucked inside in the months to come. I already put it to great use on our trip to the Christmas tree farm last week.

While I was in the midst of my research, I happened upon this carrier during my trip to the Eiteljorg Museum. Apparently even Native American parents consider a good carrier essential baby travel equipment!

You can read about my trip to the Eiteljorg Museum here, or see my guest post about the Eiteljorg at Midwest Guest here.

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

Disclosure: I was invited to tour the Eiteljorg Museum as part of a White River State Park press trip, which included my admission. I was under no obligation to write about my time at the museum, and all opinions expressed are my own.

*Links to my Amazon Affiliate account. A small portion of any sales made through this link will come back to support this blog, but this does not in any way increase the cost of purchase for you.

Introducing Little Arrow

Little Arrow joined the world on December 1. Weighing in at 8 pounds 3 ounces, he's been a quiet force of nature in our family ever since. He's very content, has a healthy appetite, and is a great sleeper (so far!) Plus, we think he's pretty cute.

Take a look.

Big Arrow is pretty fond of him, too.

He's even been on a few road trips. Like home from the hospital. And to the pediatrician.

We're happy to be home and healthy as a family of four. I have a few more posts to share later this month, and I hope to be back to regular blogging in January (or whatever amount of posts our new schedule will allow!)

Do Bloggers Take Maternity Leave?

Other than a quick, kid-free trip to Wisconsin this past weekend for a wedding (shhh! don't tell my OB!), we've mostly been sticking close to home these last few weeks. But The Arrow and I have still been having lots of fun. A couple of weeks ago, we made a return trip to Kidscommons, the children's museum here in Columbus, Indiana.

It was a great spot to let The Arrow run around and play, while I could just venture from seat to seat and rest. I know he'll feel cooped up once we bring the baby home and can't get out as much, so I've made an effort to take him on some fun "field trips."

Apparently I've really worn him out!

Speaking of rest, I'll be taking a bit of a breather from regular blogging for the next couple of months. I hope to get a post up once a week or so, but don't expect much more than a photo or two. I really want to focus on my last two weeks as a family of three, and then obviously on the needs of a newborn and a toddler through the remainder of 2011. I hope to write a bit more frequently in January and beyond.

I do have two more posts scheduled for this week, including a Pinterest-inspired list of gift ideas for family travelers and more cute photos of The Arrow from our visit to Kidscommons. I'll also still be writing posts for Visit Indiana on a regular basis.

We have absolutely no set travel plans for 2012, other than that we WILL travel. We want to feel out our lifestyle and the baby's temperament before we commit to anything specific. But I'm sure I'll be sharing lots of Monday Dreams once we do start thinking about our fun adventures as a family of four. And I'll certainly still be trekking around Indiana and sharing those outings with you, I'm far too antsy to sit around at home for too long!

You can also "like" Arrows Sent Forth on Facebook for more regular updates from our family.

This post is a part of Mondays are for Dreaming at The Mother of All Trips.

Nienaber's Farm Market: Pumpkins for my Little Pumpkin(s)!

Last year, we went to a pretty simple farm stand to pick out pumpkins, called Nienaber's Farm Market. At Nienaber's, you won't find some of the typical trappings that many of the larger pumpkin patches in town offer, like hay rides, train rides, petting zoos, etc. But The Arrow was so excited to pick out pumpkins again this year that we thought we'd make that simple farm stand a family tradition. I kind of like how the focus stays on the pumpkins themselves. We can always do some of those other things a different day somewhere else and spread the fun throughout fall.

As a mom, the best part of any trip to the pumpkin patch is the great pictures you can get. Here are a few of my favorites.

Which one should I get?

Indulging mom in a picture next to the giant mums

Taking a rest and sharing a laugh with Mom

My favorite part of our pumpkin picking tradition is getting a pumpkin for each family member. This year, we got to add a new, itty bitty pumpkin to the mix.

Choosing the perfect pumpkin for Baby Arrow.

In five weeks, we'll be a family of four. You can tell just by looking at our front porch!

It's fun to dream about next year, when we'll get to take Baby Arrow to pick out his or her own pumpkin (I have no doubt Big Brother Arrow will help with the selection process!)

For more information on Nienaber's Farm Market, you can read my post from last fall at Visit Indiana.

What's your favorite pumpkin patch memory? The Arrow made an important discovery this year at the pumpkin patch. I'll be sharing that photo on Friday!

This post is a part of Mondays are for Dreaming at The Mother of All Trips.

Ethnic Expo 2011

Last year, when we attended Ethnic Expo in our town of Columbus, Indiana as first-timers, I was shocked at what a large, diverse event it was. This year, being pros, I was much more focused on what food I would devour.

Ethnic Expo is a chance to travel the globe, sampling the finest of each country's cuisine as you wander from booth to booth. Many of the booths are staffed by the various international groups around town, so the food is typically quite authentic. While the crowds can be a bit overwhelming, particularly if you're schlepping a stroller with you, it's an experience that's worth a little inconvenience.

This year, I focused mostly on just one country. Korea drew me in, as a sweet Korean woman motioned me over and said, "Pregnant lady, I give you samples." Sold! After sampling, I purchased a bulgogi slider and vegetable rolls, both of which were delicious. They were long gone before I thought to take a picture.

My brother and sister-in-law got their taste buds fried with some spicy Indian samosas. My brother-in-law cooled things off with a trip to Taiwan.

My husband set his sights on the Cajun booth. By the time I took a picture of his plate, the gator nuggets were long gone (they were quite good, he graciously let me try one). And the red beans and rice were a great compliment.

We also took in some live music and relaxed on the big lawn in front of City Hall. Food like this is best enjoyed in bare feet with your toes in the grass, right?

Just another beautiful evening celebrating the world's diverse cuisine. I have no doubt we'll be back next year. Afterall, The Arrow grew tired and cranky before we could visit the dessert tent, which is just criminal.


Interested in learning more about this event? I previewed Ethnic Expo and described why I love it a few weeks ago for Visit Indiana.

This post is a part of Wanderfood Wednesday at Wanderlust and Lipstick.

A Week in My Life: Saturday and Sunday

You just can't beat a beautiful fall weekend in the Midwest. The beauty of this season is a big reason why we love living in this part of the country. We did our best to savor autumn's bounty this weekend. Here are a few highlights:

Saturday Morning Nature Walk
Our church just developed a memory walk on its property (which is a beautiful piece of land at the foothills of Brown County, which is probably the most popular place to delight in fall in Indiana). We've been meaning to check it out before or after church for the past couple of months, but it just hasn't worked out. So we drove out that way and hiked the short trail on Saturday morning.

I got some fun pictures of our "walk in the woods" as The Arrow called it.

The Arrow made a new friend that morning when we stumbled upon a frog. Perfect timing, as I'm hoping to take him to the new frog exhibit at the Children's Museum of Indianapolis this week.

Dining Al Fresco
On Saturday night, we thought about taking The Arrow to his first movie, as the local theatre was showing Smurfs in the early evening. But the weather was just too perfectly crisp to spend indoors, so we chose to grill burgers and eat dinner outside instead.

This was followed by about an hour or so of outdoor playtime.

A Sunday Spent in the Leaves

Sunday morning after church and lunch, we tackled raking leaves.

The Arrow was a big help, as you can see (ahem...)

IndyCar Tragedy

We were supposed to babysit one of The Arrow's little arrow buddies in the evening, but she was sick. Instead, my husband fatefully flipped on the television to see who was winning some of the football games and to check in on the IndyCar race in Las Vegas. The minute he turned it to ABC, we just knew something had gone terribly wrong at the race. About an hour later, it was announced that Dan Wheldon, the winner of this year's Indy 500, had died in a horrific crash.

My husband and I enjoy following the IndyCar series, mostly because we are huge fans of the Indy 500, our community's premiere annual event. I've written about our enjoyment of the race often here. Needless to say, the unexpected and tragic death of such a popular and successful driver cast quite a shadow on the night.

But you can always count on the innocence of kids to lift your spirits. The Arrow was oblivious to what was unfolding on television, and he kept demanding a trip to the park. So off we went to the same park I wrote about on Friday, and it was a nice way to cap off the weekend on a positive note.

End of Week in My Life Series

It's been fun to blog nearly everyday (although I admittedly lost a little steam by the time the weekend rolled around). It certainly wasn't a typical week for us, but I guess no week ever is. I heard from lots of friends who enjoyed a little glimpse into our day-to-day life. I know I'll be glad I captured this moment in time. Afterall, we now have orange juice that expires by the time the baby will join our family!

Anyway, thanks for joining us this week. Kudos to Melissa at Adventuroo for putting all of this together. If you found this blog via her link-up and have enjoyed learning about our week, feel free to "like us" on Facebook and keep up with our family's adventures.