How many kids do you have and what are their ages?
2 girls – Charley 2.5 & Emma 9 months
How long have you lived in the Columbus area and what brought you here?
My husband and I jumped around Ohio a bit. We both grew up in a small town 1.5 hours from Columbus. We moved from Cincinnati to Columbus in 2022 to be close to family, friends, and new careers opportunities. We love raising our girls here and have made great friends.
What does your family enjoy doing together in your spare time?
We enjoy exploring new places in Columbus, being outside (no matter the weather), and staying active! Our favorite weekend activity includes going out for coffee (Staufs, Fox in Snow, or Bada Bean Bada Booze), and taking the coffee with us for a long walks or to a playground. We also enjoy family friendly breweries (Crooked Can, Little Grand Market, Hillgarden, and Land Grant are some favorites).
What are your favorite places to go with your kids around Columbus?
I am a SAHM so I am always eager to explore new places around Columbus. I say the best advice to any stay at home mom is to NOT stay home! My favorite places for the kids during the week include library storytimes (Dublin, Upper Arlington, Hilliard and Main Libraries are our favorites), playgrounds, the Zoo, COSI, Metro Park Nature Centers, and soon the splash pads/pool. I like to plan a rough schedule for the week so I can be prepared to get us out the door in the morning to an activity.
What resources from Columbus Moms Network do you find most helpful?
The weekly calendar of events on Instagram, to quickly give new ideas on what is happening that week. The Columbus Moms Network site is amazing – it is loaded with the detailed guides, community resources, and local events to help explore Columbus and support you as a mom!
What are you looking forward to about being a contributor for Columbus Moms Network?
I look forward to exploring new places around Columbus and further immerse myself and family into the community.
What does a typical day look like for you?
These days (& nights) are crazy, unpredictable, but so sweet & fun! My husband and I wake up at 5:30/6am – we drink coffee, read and exercise. Emma wakes up at 6am and is my lil workout buddy. My husband leaves for work at 7:30am, around the same time Charley wakes up. I snuggle with the girls on the couch while watching cartoons, the girls play, I make breakfast, and prep for the morning out. We leave the house around 9:30am for an activity (Em naps on the go) and get back home around Noon. Charley goes straight to naptime. I prepare dinner and do housework while entertaining Emma. Emma goes down for a nap around 2. If both their naps overlap, I will squeeze a nap in too (the laundry can wait!). Once girls are up, we head outside for a long walk and the neighborhood park. In the winter we often went to Momi Land or the library to burn energy! My husband is home around 5:30pm, we feed the girls dinner then out for an evening walk/bikes, play, etc. Bath time is at 7pm and we put Emma to bed. Charley’s bedtime is around 8:30pm. My husband and I enjoy downtime on the couch and watch a show together. I am tired and in bed by 9:30pm! On Thursday mornings I do have help from my mom or MIL, I teach group fitness at System of Strength, and also use this day to some run errands- so needed for a little reset!
What is one piece of advice you would give to a new mom?
Get out in your community to form your village – go to the library programs (I met some of my best mom friends at storytime) or join a mom’s group (I am involved in MomCo) – Columbus offers so many great resources for new moms but you have to put yourself out there. It is almost like you’re a freshmen in college all over again! You are not meant to do motherhood alone, meeting other moms in the same stage you are in is necessary. Moms are here to support moms!!
