This spring break our family decided to do a staycation. We wanted to have time together doing fun activities, but we did not want our daughter to always expect a vacation during school breaks.
The decision to do a staycation was made several months ago. However, we had some last minute doubts about not getting away. Most of the doubts came from our daughter, who repeatedly asked us if we could go somewhere for spring break. In the end, we decided it was best for our family to do a staycation.
And, I am glad we did. It was a week full of family fun activities in Delaware and in central Ohio.
During spring break, we ate at several of our favorite Delaware restaurants, and we tried a couple restaurants that we do not eat at as often. We enjoyed sushi, which for my daughter is rice wrapped in seaweed. We also enjoyed delicious Mexican food, Chinese food and American fare, including fried chicken and pizza. We are very lucky to have so many good restaurants in Delaware!
We also enjoyed shopping at some downtown Delaware stores. We liked walking from shop to shop and talking with people along the way. Truth be told, this activity was enjoyed more by my wife and child. I am not the biggest fan of shopping. When I shop, I think of it as a precise operation to obtain the needed item. My wife on the other hand, thinks shopping is an endurance sport.
Downtown Delaware has changed so much in the last 50 years. I miss many of the stores that have closed, including the Peoples Store, Parkers, Nectar Candy, Cashmans, and the Newsstand, just to name a few.
When I was a kid, my friends and I loved to go to the comic book store and look at the expensive comic books. We hoped that someday, we would own a comic book worth $20.
I also remember when there was not much activity in downtown Delaware. But now, downtown Delaware is bustling and is full of great restaurants and stores. It also has fantastic gelato and frozen custard shops that our family loves to visit. In fact, I think my doctor may say we enjoy visiting these shops a little too much.
As the weather was not the best this week, we left Delaware County on two days to visit indoor fun parks in Columbus. Our daughter had a great time meeting up with a couple of her classmates and playing with them. She loved riding the rides and playing the games. She also loved experiencing a 4D movie. As we watched the movies, she would reach out to try and touch the effects. She also jumped when mist was sprayed during the show. She talked about it the rest of the day.
My favorite spring break day was Monday. The weather was really nice. We ate lunch in downtown Delaware. After some shopping, we headed to our daughter’s favorite park to play on the playground equipment.
Then, we went to a Delaware beach. We played on the playground. Then, we looked for shells on the beach. By the end of the day, our daughter’s pockets were full of shells and rocks. So much so, when she sat down in the van, her pockets could not hold all of her treasures and they fell to the van floor.
We asked our daughter how she enjoyed spring break. She told us she loved spending time with all of us together. And, my wife and I both felt the same way!
I hope you are able to spend time with family and friends this spring. And, I hope you have a wonderful Easter!
Randall D. Fuller is judge of the Domestic Relations Division of the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas. Judge Fuller is a life-long resident of Delaware County.
