The kids had the day off school today in observance of Rosh Hashanah. So what do you do on a perfect sunny 73-degree day in Cleveland? You head to the beach, of course.
It turns out Northeast Ohio has its own Huntington Beach. Nestled 30 minutes outside downtown Cleveland and located on the lower western portion of Lake Erie, this beautiful strip of beach was just the oasis we all needed.
When you're raising little ones the days and weeks and years fly by. I can't tell you how many times I find myself scratching my head and saying out loud, "How is it the END of month? How is it the END of the year? How come my kids are growing up so fast?" Time doesn't care that you're trying to hold on to your children's childhood for as long as possible. My 8-year-old son is right on the cusp of that loss of innocence (he doesn't yet know what the birds and the bees is and still considers me his #1 girl).
And my 4-year-old daughter still lets me, thank God, kiss her uncontrollably. I tell her she'll always be my baby, no matter how grown up she is. "I'm not a baby!" she demands. "But you can still kiss me all the time, Mommy."
We had a most wonderful afternoon. I didn't have a care in the world. Just soaked up the fresh lake air, marveled at the California-like blue skies and watched my beautiful children play.
I thank God for days like today.
Shana Tova, everyone.
A day on the lake, pt 1.
