For so many years, it was just the 3 of us.  Living with more month-than-money, cars that often failed, making do, getting by.  It did not define us   I am grateful for the all the moments of pure joy that we shared:

Volunteering at the Akron Aeros baseball games.  For each game that we volunteered, the Aeros gave each of us 6 free tickets for future games.  We all gained a love of baseball.   We would get a treat most times we went, buying a hot dog or a dish of Dippin’ Dots and sharing it.  Cheering like wild women, singing “Take me out to the ballgame” and “YMCA” during the 7th inning stretch, staying for fireworks.

Buying Sea World’s bargain family pass.   For less than $60, we had a full summer of fun.  Picnic lunches and all the great shows, again and again and again.  It never got old.

Buckett Hill Campground is filled with cabins.   What could be better than living next door to all your favorite people for a week?  Picnics, potlucks, water polo, hiking and fun, fun, fun.  With 50-60 kids being together from 7 am until midnight, each day, and not one argument or problem…. ever.  What a rare gift!

Our Christmas Eve tradition of lunch at Swenson’s drive-in restaurant, where Santa always gave us lots of free goodies from his pack, followed by a movie at the theater, dinner at a Chinese restaurant and then driving around looking at Christmas lights and singing Christmas carols at the top of our lungs, and endless giggling.

Jimmy’s cafe – a magical place that connected us with people from everywhere, and helped us find joy in every moment!   My oldest began working there when she was 14, and soon my youngest and I were helping out there as often as we could.  Music, food, conversation and a huge crowd of “regulars.”  Every inch inside and out was covered with paint, sparkles, mirrors, murals, photos, tassels, painted cotton balls, and mosaics.  Jimmy was an artist and nothing in the cafe stayed the same for long.  Magic is almost an understatement when you’re talking about Jimmy’s.

The Polar Express  – The 3 of us striding down Mill St in Peninsula to board the train each night, waving and smiling our biggest smiles at the engineer.  Boarding the train to create a magical night for every Polar Express passenger.   A month of absolute joy!

The countless classes and programs that we attended at the Cleveland Metroparks were so great, they are almost beyond description.  Each reservation (park) within the system is different and fascinating.  We knew so many of the naturalists and are so grateful for their caring and friendship.  We traveled on a Voyageur canoe (it’s huge), learned about CCC through a hands-on realistic workshop, had a tasty day trying about 60 dandelion recipes, touched and tasted helpful plants with the guidance of Dr. Wildweed, tried on Civil War soldiers clothes, plus programs about apples, raptors (my favorite), spring flowers, squirrels, bees and countless more.  I never had trouble getting either girl out of bed if we were going to a Metroparks program.  And they were free…

The many trips to the Cleveland Museum of Art.  Before our first trip, we watched a video featuring Mike Hargrove, who was then the manager of the Cleveland Indians.  He explained that the art museum was NOT “his thing.”  But as he went through the museum, he found so many paintings and sculptures that he liked, and he explained what he liked about each one.  We spent our day searching for every piece of art that Mike had shown us in the video.  Excited shrieks – “There’s the one of the boxer!!!”

A dear friend of mine gave us a free time-share stay at a Myrtle Beach resort.  I wasn’t sure our car would make it that far, but it did.  Our suite was so luxurious.  We watched the brown pelicans swooping across the ocean, saw the sun rise, watched all the people on the beach, and treated ourselves to dinner at a beachfront restaurant. My younger daughter searched for shells and ooohed and ahhhed over every one, even if it was just a tiny sliver. It was rainy and cold every day, until the day we were to leave when the sun came out, and the temperatures warmed.  The  jellyfish arrived midweek… lots of pink squishy things on the beach. Don’t step on them!  And on the way home, we stopped to spend a few days with our wonderful North Carolina family!   We remember it as being one of the best trips ever!

Our first trip to Lake View Cemetery was amazing!  We went with a kids’ history club run by the Cleveland Metroparks.  So many famous people, tombstones in every shape and size you can imagine and the huge James A Garfield Memorial.  By looking at the diorama at the top of the building, we saw the story of Garfield’s life in pictures, and we learned that although he was shot while in office, he would have lived if the doctors had just washed their hands.  All the plants and trees that are native to Ohio are represented and labeled.  There’s a gorgeous chapel with pews made from the Cedars of Lebanon, and Tiffany stained glass windows. We have been back countless times and each time we see new and amazing things.  If I asked either of my daughters if they wanted to visit Lake View Cemetery, I would probably have to race them to the car.  Who knew a cemetery could be so much fun?

The world is a glorious place, and the best things are, quite often, free!