This past Mothers Day weekend we skipped the breakfast in bed and crafts and opted for some fun family activities. Lucky for us Saturday was Free Comic Book Day! (It's always the first Saturday in May each year) We chose Packrat Comics in Hilliard and had a wonderful time. Not only free comics but inflatables, photo ops, games, food, artist meet and greets. We were blown out of the water and my 4 year old son has been talking about comics ever since. It also gave us an opportunity to see the amazing things a local business in our community has to offer and we will definitely be back.

"Spider girl, spider girl. Does whatever a spider girl does"

Columbus | North Market | Blog | A Mommy Nearest

Stimulate your child's love for reading and celebrate one of my favorite story telling mediums, comics. There's a much wider selection than just superheroes and for some children, this is one of the only things they can get excited about reading. Free comic book day may be over but I bet they have a lot of these freebies still hanging around the store so here's a run down on all the free samplers that were released this past weekend from one of favorite journalists, Glen Weldon. (Hint: click on hyperlinked name)

Sunday we hit up North Market to grab some tasty eats and then let the kids run out some energy at Goodale Park.

North Market was established in 1876 and features 35+ vendors. You can shop for flowers, meat, fish, produce, specialty items, and my favorite, pastries. Not to mention eat at all the amazing food stalls. We just have to keep going back again and again so that I can try everything there is to eat there but, considering the crowd, we went with our tried and true favorites. Hot Chicken Takeover for lunch and Pistacia Vera and Jeni's Ice cream for dessert. We enjoyed it, the kids enjoyed it. You have to go, and you have to take the kids because they will be entranced by all the colors, smells, people, etc. Just go, and go again. And again.

Lots of seating on the upper level of North Market!

Our favorite flavors are pistachio honey and wild berry lavender!

I definitely keep them strapped in as we stroll through the market but they don't seem to mind

Hope our adventure encourages all you parents out there to take your kids to Norh Market. It's definitely a repeat outing and Goodale Park is just right up the street to take your sweets! <3