Playing, at home

Last Wednesday we got to visit one of my favorite places in Rochester.

No, not the statue of Mercury.

 no, nor the public library, downtown branch

YES. You need to come here if you have not. 

Dancing in the crazy effects dance lab was one of the more fun things I've done in a while. Miles and I might have been in there a while.

There's just.... so much..

We spent a lot of time on the second floor this visit, which is unusual for us.

Leah and Matthew brought the kids to hang out!
So the second floor has.... well, it has a lot. A lot of cool virtual games, it has the pin ball and the classic arcade, just... a lot. But it also has the collection of classic toys! and in addition to display items and educational material, there are play labs!

Barbie dollhouse in the barbie section, e.g. 

As a kid, I would have spent all my time in the play house stocked with Madame Alexander baby dolls. Adele indulged me for a while. We set the table and had "guests."

I mean, there's a track for cars, a play area with castle and knights, the veterinarian for stuffed animals....


And a variety of display board games we enjoyed perusing, including this gem:

"It's not whether you win or lose, but whether you win!"

Leah & I could sit and talk, cozily, and see what the kids were doing. We might have stayed there for a couple of hours.

Miles and Abby probably spent most of their time as veterinarians or pediatricians. 

I got to browse the doll collection, and learn a bit about Barbies...

The tagline on the box: "She's Black. She's Beautiful. She's Dynamite!"

Recognise any of these classics?

Being baby birds in Big Bird's nest: 

Also in Rochester, we visited my favorite park, Mendon Ponds Park, met up with my godmother, had old friends over for dinner and spent cozy evenings with Dad, and often, with Agnes and Mercedes (Agnes' daughter) who have a special friendship with the kids. 

Goodbye was hard. But it felt like just turning a really lovely page and having every reason to expect that the next page will be just as good.

We can't wait to see Grandpa Jim again, in Colorado!

We also went from family, to family. More quality time waited for us, in Maryland.