Boo Boo at SEA LIFE Aquarium

So with time on my hands and daycare on vacation I accepted the invitation of SEA LIFE Aquarium's Ms. E to explore the newly revamped aquarium.  She told us the aquarium was purchased by the corporation that owns many types of attractions around the world - Merlin Entertainment out of England.  They have over two dozen SEA LIFE Aquarium's around the world and participate in breeding programs to protect creatures like turtles and sea horses.  It's pretty amazing.

Plus?  We got to see jellyfish.  Man are they beautiful.

This is actually what the jellyfish area looks like - tubes of jellyfish for you to gaze at in a beautifully lit hall of mirrors - even Pacific Jellyfish just like in NEMO!  (Boo Boo loved that.)

You can really buy these fish...

SEA LIFE Aquarium has over 10,000 creatures as of its re-opening last March and it included the funny fish above called Shrimpfish.  Fish of this variety swim nose to the ocean floor.

I forgot my camera - and my phone was low on bars - but Boo Boo took some pretty cool pictures in Atlantis - the shark tunnel!  The shark tunnel is home to Sand Tiger Sharks, Loggerhead Turtles, Green Seat Turtles, Moonfish, and...

SAWFISH!  Boo Boo was having fun capturing pictures...

Really, she was having fun...just didn't want to be in front of the camera.

See? Goofball.

My dear friend Amy brought her charming Mr. D (photo above) to tour the SEA LIFE Aquarium with us.  He is 18 months and kept saying, "Fish, Fish, Fish!"  It was awesome.

After the private tour with Ms. E explaining all the cool fish along the way we were on our own.  We could leave or go through again!  Boo Boo and I went through one more time - determined to touch the Horseshoe Crabs in the Rockpool - but Mr. D and Amy left us...you know, toddler!  ;)

They did miss feeding time in the shark tunnel - trust me its WICKED.

So while Boo Boo, Amy, Mr. D and I got to tour SEA LIFE Aquarium for free I would TOTALLY go back again and buy a ticket.  And be sure to talk to the helpful SEA LIFE employees while you are there - they know their stuff.

We are about to go on vacation.  So I will be posting sporadically again...I will try to pull from the archives when I had about 2 followers and share some cool old stories of Boo Boo La La.

Happy Weekend Peeps!

Spiderman Lullaby

Momma cannot sleep. 

Any ideas? 

Sharing @Iambooboolala's FAVORITE lullaby.  Totally not a joke.

Rockin' The Baby! (it should work now)

I hope all is forgiven...I have but ONE baby and will only ever have this one baby.

So you get her first year of life condensed in 13 photos - up to the professional photo shoot on exactly her First Birthday! Just in case you are wondering - she is now 5 and a half.

Enjoy my fellow momma's!

"Rockin' The Baby"

Create a free slideshow with Picnik!

Who's gonna drive you home, tonight?

Its kind of a strange video, but it was the 80's and a time when MTV played all the videos. You had to do something to get noticed!

What I love most about this video is Benjamin Orr's voice.

He obviously did not sing all of The Cars songs, but he sang some of my FAVORITES.  I will put up my absolute favorite next Friday.  Today you get Drive because I asked @BarbAbney to play it for Tonal Recall on @TheCurrent.

Happy Friday My Designated Drivers.

Come To My Window

This Week's Prompts

1.) Write about a time you had to crawl through a window.

*Ahem* okay.

It must be noted that I didn't "have" to crawl through this window - I just did it, okay?

It was Fall 1983 and I had just started dating "that boy" the one that had been my friend since junior high school.  The "geeky" guy that was handsome and quirky and smart and fun to be around...

He threw a big party - every last one of the cool kids showed up - and he and I ended up on a hammock, kissing.  As simple as that he was now my boyfriend...he asked and I said that I would love to be his girl. 

He was excited to have a girlfriend and I was excited partially because I "stole" him from someone who knew she liked him "more than a friend" before I did.  And partially?  Boy howdy, I knew I liked him "more than a friend" when he kissed me!  That fellow could kiss!  Remember those kisses?  The exciting ones that curl your toes.

Yeah, me too.

He had a best friend and as a pair they used to tease me.  They both came over one Sunday night.  Super late, probably 11pm (ha!) after a Yes concert (Or was it Rush?) and knocked on my window.

Very daring as my parents room was DIRECTLY above mine.

We talked through the window - at one point I climbed out so we could lay on the grass and talk some more - then after a sweet parting kiss, I climbed back in and dreamt the sweet dreams of young love.

Click on over and read what others had to say today & link up your story with Mama Kat.

It's getting hot in here...

On Friday afternoon I saw a photo and I pinned it to Pinterest....within minutes this was in my Gmail inbox.

Awww....sukey sukey now.

He is that hot.

Isn't he better to look at on a Monday than your co-workers?

Rember when...

...I got invited to look at the cool stuff Brookstone had added to their lineup of already cool stuff?

Well, shortly after that they asked me if I would not mind reviewing the Koala HUG - Lumbar Support product.  Ummm.  YES PLEASE!

I saw this item at the Brookstone on my visit and actually got to try it on there.  I had been intrigued by the idea that this would strengthen my back.

You see I have started lifting weights again - and doing Just Sweat on the Wii Just Dance 2 - and my back was not enjoying it so much.  I have been in my share of car accidents with one resulting back surgery and many more injections.  Ugh.

Would the Koala HUG - Lumbar Support work?  Would my back feel better?

The answer after using this product for about a month is a resounding YES MA'AM!

Wow - the difference it makes in just wearing for brief periods of time each day.  My back feels so much better now.  The tightness across my lower back was actually gone after just two weeks of wear.  I wear it about 30 minutes each day now; and when I think I might need extra help.  I really like what it does for my back.

This review was done by me in exchange for my own personal Koala HUG Lumbar Support product.  My opinion of the product is that you should definitely invest in it if you have low back pain like I do - or DID.  This has really done the trick for me.

Happy HUG Peeps! 

p.s. I watched this video to help me use the HUG properly!

We love you Panda! Sun Yat Fai Lok!

When the email from Mama Kat dropped in and I read:

3.) Do you love it or hate it? An open letter to your child's latest obsession.

I knew I had a winner.  Well - of a story, not a letter.

Last February at the Minnesota Zoo's Annual Beach Party my SIL and I bought our children these stuffed panda bears.  The lady in the zoo store was so "kind" to point out they were on sale for $15...and the girls were in LOVE.  This investment has paid off - despite the fact PANDA was selected as his name, and he is alternately a girl or a boy, he has been a pretty steady companion and is often brought along on shopping trips and strapped into the car as if he were a real child.  He attended Sunday School and @Iambooboolala even insists I am his mother! 

Last week my darling daughter informed me that Panda was having a birthday and it was the day after the Fourth of July - I smiled and said,

"Okay."
"Uh-huh" said @Iambooboolala, "He is going to be five - he told me."

I didn't think anymore of it but over the weekend she would say, "Panda's birthday is coming up." "Is tomorrow Fourth of July?" "Panda's birthday is AFTER that and he will be five."  I knew I was in for something.

Fifth of July - daycare is closed and I am working from home for a half day.  I got up as quietly as possible and went down to work.  I got in nearly two hours before she came downstairs and asked for breakfast, and bamboo for Panda for his special birthday breakfast.  (Straws in a bowl in case you are wondering - plus? no idea how she knows what Panda eats.  He must have told her....)  Then the two of them lay on the couch watching YouTube videos and playing The Wedding Planner Game...finally...

"What are we going to do for Panda's birthday today Mama?  He ought to have a party, but I am his only friend."

I shot down going to the pool because I was waterlogged from the beach and pool all weekend, plus?  Panda is a stuffed animal and that would be no fun for him....

Then I remembered I had a wristband with points on it in my wallet for Nickelodeon Universe.

"Do you think Panda would be okay going on THREE rides and calling it a day?" 
"No - if we go to the Mall of America Mama we have to go to Build A Bear and get Panda a new birthday outfit....and a phone, he told me he wants a phone too."

Okay FINE - I am a sucker.  Panda got to ride along to Mall of America - And we met some friends on the way to the Pineapple Under the Sea....


And yes, I paid the $9.99 plus tax again for a picture...sigh.

 Panda was ALLOWED on Diego's Rescue Rider....

The jerk manning The Backyardigan's Swing Along?  He made Panda watch from the shoe rack...

Boo Boo said it was okay after a bit because "Panda is cheering for us." But, she did look like she was going to cry when he started to take him and I tried to reason with the jerk...all's well that end's well.

It's your BEAR'S birthday?  You have crazy mama!

Then we went to Build a Bear and it took about TWO MINUTES to select the Super Hero outfit you see here...Panda was consulted on which color phone he wanted, black or pink, and being secure in his hermaphrodite status he selected pink.  Then we wandered the store looking at all the other choices, paid and got Panda's dirty sweatshirt off for the cool new gear.

Starbucks was in sight for me...and of COURSE Kai Lan was hanging out just outside the door to my latte.

As you can see Panda had a great day...his birthday hat Boo Boo rescued from her dress-up box completed his look.

We wrapped it all up with a stop at Wuollet's for cupcakes and McDonald's for a Redbox movie.

FYI, Shrek Ever After was pretty darn good for $1! 

So yes, I guess I love this little obsession of my daughter's.  Panda is, after all, my child too. 

P.S. As I pondered why on earth she would create a birthday for her friend it occurred to me that my poor child has a birthday thisclosetochristmas...she has gotten several birthday invites for summer children and I think was feeling left out.

We may have to create this half-birthday as tradition.

Ni Hao

One Hot Day in New Orleans...

I was in band in junior high and high school.

No, I was not a cool cheerleader.

Yes, I could say, "This one time at band camp..." But I was not a sex crazed redhead, obviously. 

Every year our "Symphonic Band" would take a trip somewhere to perform.  Typically it was The World's Fair - at least that is all I remember.  The "Symphonic Band" was supposed to be better than "Concert Band" although they were both high school bands in, what was at the time, the country. 

Side Note: My hometown is now supposedly a cool place to live, but growing up people thought we all milked cows before school and rode snowmobiles to get to class.  At least that was what I told our bus driver in N'awlins.. 

My junior year of high school I was finally in "Symphonic Band" and we were going to New Orleans for The World's Fair - it was exciting - except for the reality.

1) It was SUPER expensive.  My mom said it cost less for my dad and her to go to Hawaii for 10 days!
2) We sat on the runway forEVER and it was HOT...not fun.
3) New Orleans in late June?  Worse humidity than Minnesota and I sweat from my head...yuck.
4) Band uniforms?  Double yuck.

Anysweatypurplebandcoat.

We found out that the day we were performing it was also "O.J. Simpson Day" (!?!?!?) at The World's Fair.  Seriously, they had buttons and everything.

And during our concert that evening he stopped by to "direct" our band AND even jumped over trumpet cases like he did in the Hertz commercials.  It was CRAZY...and its the kind of thing you tell people and they look at you like you are crazy and a big fat liar. 


But I am not.  And it took a post on Facebook to prove it.

And YES, that is me leaning into the Juice...sexy white shorts, eh?

Enjoy your Fourth of July - or Canada Day!