Portland, Maine – From the working fishing wharves of Old Port where lobster are sold fresh every day to the island ferry boat rides to the shipping channel for cargo and crude oil, our port is a busy one. It’s one HUGE adventure to small boys… and mom… and dad. But the first time my … Continue reading
Charleston, South Carolina – There are many beaches to choose from in the Charleston area. And the more you visit or the longer you live there, you find that there is something special about each one. Surfing at Folly Beach, bike paths and wide beaches at Kiawah, etc., etc. But there is only one spot … Continue reading
When I look around our Adventure Room (formerly the bonus room), I have to admit, I get a little bit teary. Look at where we started…. And here we are today! And I have to say, that having all of you along for the ride, has made this experience even better. So, thank you! Today, … Continue reading
After weeks of oppressive heat, the rain is here. Great for our pitiful looking flowers. Bad for dispensing of a certain 3-year-old’s energy. It’s time to distract and engage him. At least I can wear out that active little brain! So, we are going to make a very cool ocean sensory bin. This “sensory bin” … Continue reading
A great looking pirate ship needs great looking sails. And by great looking sails, I mean worn, torn and a little haggard… proof that they have, indeed, sailed the seven seas! TO THE LINEN CLOSET! I don’t know about you, but while we have a king size bed, we do not have king size pillows … Continue reading
Hey all! It’s Mike again (Anna’s husband)… I see the Pirate Ship blog yesterday was popular. Something about Pirates. I’ll explain the masts and rigging in a minute. Much easier than I thought it would be. But first I have to tell you a quick ditty about the time I was on a secret archeological … Continue reading
It seemed like such a simple plan. Cut two pirate hat shapes out of craft foam. Glue together. Decorate. Wear. All went beautifully until we got to the ‘wear’ part. It ripped. Immediately. The satisfaction of Crowley stenciling the Jolly Roger on the front of that hat was gone. Ugh. Ugh. And ugh. So it … Continue reading
In our garage is what’s shaping up to be the most amazing pirate ship ever built… out of cardboard. Seriously, you are going to love it! At Camp Mommy, our week days have been filled with ocean exploration from crafts to science to reading, baking, and more. But on the weekends, it’s time for father-son … Continue reading
This weekend, the temps here will reach 103 and it’s only JUNE! Okay, it’s almost July. But this is extreme heat even if it were August! So here’s a list of 10 things you can do with the munchkins inside! Here’s to keeping the mini-mes cool and happy so mommy or daddy doesn’t go off … Continue reading
This is a fun summer project to bring out the scientist in your munchkin! What better way to understand what a wave looks like and how it moves than to create one yourself… in a bottle. And the best part is your toddler is perfectly capable of doing a lot of the work (as long … Continue reading
One of our goals this summer is to work on counting, numbers and shapes. And here’s the truth about journalists… at least in TV News… Great with words. Numbers, not so much. So, as a former reporter, I really have to focus on making numbers a bigger part of our conversation and summer exploration. I … Continue reading
Can you imagine anything more magical than your grandparent loading you onto a motor boat one summer’s night and heading out along the cool waters of the sea, only to find an ocean of magically glowing moonjellies? This is how our study of jellyfish begins, through the words of a captivating a children’s tale: Night of … Continue reading
It only took a couple of minutes of watching this night-time video of baby sea turtles hatching… Crowley fell completely in love. And who can blame him? Sea turtles are very special animals. They are also very vulnerable. The movie, A Turtle’s Tail: Sammy’s Adventure, made that point so well, even featuring time spent in a sea … Continue reading
Ever since his very first bite, there is no food Crowley loves more than chocolate. It is a word he could not yet say when he first tasted that rich sweetness. So with a love struck look in his eye, he named it ‘ChaCha.’ To his day in our home we say and eat “ChaCha.” And there … Continue reading
Last summer, Crowley’s grandfather (AKA “G.G.”) held little Crowley tightly in his arms as they waded into the the surf crashing lightly on the North Carolina coast. I was already pregnant with Quinn and relished watching Crowley enjoy the ocean with his G.G. There were very few people on the beach. About 20 yards away, … Continue reading
Pattern Me Mommy 