Food Victory...

I love to cook, it is something I use to be miserable at.  The first meal I ever made B was a disaster, when he went to serve the mashed potatoes with the serving spoon that I in them the whole bowl lifted up and I swear in college I use to botch easy mac in my microwave!

My friend Amanda was like my food fairy, she taught me how to cook and how much fun it could be.  In my kitchen cooking with a glass of Pinot is one my happy places.  I am that freak that cooks to re-leave stress.

B and I have a rule, you must try it once and after we get done eating you can tell me your honest opinion, but you have to eat one meal of it before you tell me it sucks.  Making him eat it some how makes the thumbs down easier to swallow!  

However this rule is out of the window when it some to cooking for kids, the brutal honesty of children you have to love it.  With that being said MC has turned into my little food critic.  Tonight as we sat down for Eggplant Parmesean I looked at MC as she ate the first bite of eggplant (which is something she has never had), her eyes got huge and she exclaimed "Yummy in my tummy, I love eggsplant" (we will have to work on the correct name).  I took a large sip of my wine and leaned back in my chair with a smile on my face and thought to myself victory!

Here's to the little food moments in life that keep you laughing, loving and living!

Turtle Hospital

One of the coolest things about being a parent is doing all the great things there are out there for kids to do and people don't think you are a weirdo.  Well today we visited on the coolest places I think Charleston has to offer, The Turtle Hospital at the South Carolina Aquarium.  I will go ahead and tell I am 100% sure I liked this experience just as much or maybe even more than MC.  

We are members of the Aquarium and we go there a good bit, MC has it memorized and had her own little path she takes.  We did our normal run through (yes it is a run through, we can cover the Aquarium in no time flat).  We normally view the Turtle Hospital from the flat screen TVs on the second floor, but today we saw it live in person face to face.  We bought our tickets for the 11:30 tour and MC waited patiently for our time (Little R just slept in her stroller)!

When our tour time came I swear to goodness I think I had bigger butterflies than she did.  Growing up here I have seen all my life the sea turtle nesting process happen on barrier islands.  Summers on the beach we learned about turning the lights off so the little turtles can follow the moon to the ocean and not think the ocean front houses are the way to the sea.  (Did you know that is why the new Cooper River Bridge turns its big lights off at a certain time every night).  I have been on the ocean and watched a loggerhead come up for air in the mist of a calm day, but I had never seen then this way before. 

So down to the basement we went.  When you first enter the TH, it is super warm, due to the fact the turtles, being reptiles are cold blooded.  We had a great tour guide Jacque.  She educated us on the 4 types of Sea Turtles on the East Coast region and then she showed us the turtles themselves.

 

Right now they have 11 turtles and hope to return all that they can back to their natural habitat.  Each turtle has a name, a brief bio and a story above their tank.  I was amazed about the amount of care that the volunteers and doctors give these animals.  It is amazing to hear and see the rehabilitation process. 

 

 

 

I could blog for hours about this experience and never be able to tell you how cool it really was.  The TH sparked the kid and nerd in me.  I have decided when I have some free time (not quite sure when in the world that will be) the TH will be the place that I give my time.  It is amazing.  Do yourself and the turtles a favor pay the extra 7 or so bucks and take the tour!  All the money from the tours goes right the hospital itself.  

 

Today might have been my first visit however, I know one little girl and one her Momma that will make this a more regular part of our visits to the Aquarium.  For more information visit the Aquarium's website:  www.scaquarium.org or directly link to the TURTLE HOSPITAL here.

Here are to the awesome things we get to do as parents that keep us laughing, loving and living!

Feeling the need to be Crafty...

Over Christmas I got crafty (or at least tried to).  I made several homemade gifts this Christmas, but my favorite was the puppet theater I made for MC.  I had no pattern and just winged and it worked!  It turned out so much better than I thought and I had all the supplies I need in my house except for the 1 yard of pink pom poms. 

MC loves to put on shows for us.  Little R thinks her sister's shows are very funny!  Which is all the encouragement MC needs to keep the shows coming daily.  

Well the crafty itch has come back, so all week I have been on a quest for which DIY Pin I am going to do next.  All week I have been looking  through my boards trying to figure out what pin will satisfy this need for crafting.  Come up less than inspired, lots of great things but nothing was that one thing I want to try next!

Well I had the great idea, while lying in bed Wednesday night.  I would make a puppet theater for Reese one of MC best little friends, whose birthday is coming up on Easter weekend.  Reese and Merritt are 2 months apart so I know she will love it.  The idea was settled however, I now need to find the fabric that would be just perfect for little Reese.  When I made MC the fabric was easy it matches her rocking chair my mom gave her for her "Big Girl Room", it was a no-brainer.  After searching the web for fabric, I found the perfect one.   Pink, orange and yellow brunette ballerinas.   Reese like MC is very petite she had the wonder brown hair just like her momma and she loves to wear tutus!  When I saw it just said "hi I am the perfect fabric, buy me now!"  So I did I have 2.5 yards on the way to me as we speak! 

I think I am going to try to take pictures as I do this one, so I can out a tutorial up on the basics of the construction process.  I can't wait to show y'all the finished product!  It is going to be similar, but different for sure than MCs.  (P.S. making stuff for kids is so much more fun than for yourself)!!

Here's to the little craft projects in life that keep us laughing, loving and living!