We moved our kids from a small town to Chicago. They're more independent, and we have more to do.

The author and her kids have more to do in Chicago than they did when they were living in a small rural town in New Jersey.

Courtesy of Hannah Howard My husband and I had been living in a small town in New Jersey since 2020.

We liked it, but missed parts of the city life in New York we were used to.

When he got a job in Chicago, we moved, and it's been the best decision for our family.

Last weekend felt almost comically Chicago.

On Saturday morning, I took my two young kids and our dog to our closest neighborhood park, then walked over to Mindy's for coffee and a raspberry pastry. (Worth the line!) Later, a friend texted.

Her parents' friends had a boat, and did we want to come out on Lake Michigan ? A few hours later, we were swimming off the boat and eating cheese and charcuterie as the sun set over the skyline.

After dark, fireworks lit up the sky.

The next morning was the Bucktown Arts Fest, a few blocks from our house.

My daughter spotted her kindergarten teacher dressed as Mother Goose and sat down to hear her read stories.

The kids got glittery dogs painted on their faces.

Our neighbors offered to watch them so I could explore for a bit; I wandered through booths of crafts, maps, and jewelry, and bought a few prints of cheese plates.

By Sunday evening, I felt a rush of gratitude for this life we had built.

A year earlier, none of it existed.