Bringing back the simple fun!

Happy heavenly birthday to Jana's father, Howard, who would have been 85 yesterday (October 21, 2025).

He started every day at the kitchen table drinking coffee and working on The New York Times crossword puzzle.

He'd always leave the word scramble aside for Jana.

Jana and I had a short period of dating long distance when we first met. We spent time actually talking on the phone and playing highly competitive games of Sporcle, Inc., an online quiz game.

This sounds quaint and nostalgic when we consider the din of #workingparent life - constant notifications, social feeds, apps that track our kids' whereabouts, travel sports, etc.

Proud parent moment:

At dinner last week, our server gave Brooks (4) crayons and a kids menu with games on it, after which he said: “Mommy, let’s do the word search - your favorite!”

He loves puzzles and "I spy" books as well. Simple fun for the win!

♻️ What are your favorite games to get your brain firing?

Brooks and his new construction puzzle!