KidCo PeaPod

I can't even really remember where I orginally saw the PeaPod...I think I was searching online for some sort of baby tent for the beach. Since it will be summer and would like to still go to the beach, even with an infant. I wanted soemthing to protect her from the beaming rays of sun and give me a bit of freedom.

Turns out this is the niftiest little contraption!!  I started to look at them a little more closely and they fold up flat for easy travel!!  They can fit a child up to 2 years old and can come with a small inflateable matress as well!  There are a few models and colours to choose from.

We were blessed by our family members with this model, I like the fun lime green!!

PeaPod-Model P102

Turns out this one also has the self-inflating mattress that slips into it's own little zippered pouch area to keep it protected from baby and the surface it is sitting on.  Some of the models, you have to pump up yourself. I believe all of them are UV protectant and all have the mesh parts on the sides for airflow.

It really is awesome. It comes in this little pouch and as you pull the elastic off of it, it pops open like those tents you throw into the air and they self set up!!  So easy!! There is a short instructional video on the website that shows how easy set up and and take down are.

I am super excited to have it at the beach this summer. That way she is not stuck in her car seat where she could get too hot!  That way I can still play in the sand with Little Miss too!

NOLA Part 2

On the Friday morning I headed down to the Quarter after breakfast (possibly at Pinkberry) and joined a free walking tour.  It was at the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve (which is really a building in the French Quarter, close to the Mississippi, that they have preserved and set up as a small museum). It wasn't super long and they really only took us down towards the River because the city doesn't want a 'free' tour going on in the Quarter where all the other paying tours are going on. The information that the guide shared was incredible!!

The Cabildo Museum, holds a legacy of historic
 events and cultural diversity about the state of LA.

When the France took over New Orleans, they told the French people it was mountainous and hot and sunny...well when the French came over it was hot, humid and swampy!  Word got back to France that this 'new land' wasn't so great and no one wanted to come...so France emptied out their prisons and married the criminals and prostitutes and sent them over!  Many died on the long journey over from disease and from 'new disease' when they got there...so the founders of New Orleans were criminals and prostitutes!  LOL

Pretty ironwork on a door

If you visit NOLA, I highly recommend the free tour!!

Our guide also told us that when Spain took over after France's 40 years there, few Spanish families came to settle, so the Spanish men married the French's daughters!  I guess that was a 'tsk, tsk' type of thing too!

Lots of these entranceways into beautiful courtyards or restaurants

Through the entranceway into the courtyard

In the 1790's the Spanish, are the settlers who built all these courtyards...they would build the homes/buildings right up to the sidewalk, leaving a space of beauty, an oasis, in the middle for themselves to enjoy...they could shut out the 'bad' of the outside world.  The big openings with the gates (two pictures up), were for the horse and wagons to enter and exit from the courtyards inside.

Beautiful ironwork on one of the large entrances

One of the gates into Jackson Square

A bench inside Jackson Square

Evidence of Mardi Gras

I liked Royal St., there were a bunch of cute shops there to browse in and the sign still had some beads hanging from it..evidence of the ever popular Mardi Gras, that happens on any Tuesday between February 3rd and March 9th. It is the day before Ash Wednesday.  The best place I found to pick up the cheaper beads (all the others seemed to be speciality ones, ie. NFL teams, or some kind of a theme) was in the French Market.

If you are walking past Cafe du Monde, keep going a few blocks and you'll come to the market...there were lots of great places to eat at and a flea market type spot at the far end. These beads were the cheapest and the kind for throwing away (like Mardi Gras). Along the way in the market, I came a cross Rod Broussard, a local photographer, he had the best work (to me anyway) that I saw the whole time I was there....take a moment to check out his site...I think my favourite was the 'Weeping Angel'. I didn't purchase this one, but I did buy one of the 'French Quarter Door' prints, with the red doors and turquoise shutters.

When I made my way back towards the 'Square' I passed these gentlemen. Take a quick listen!! I then went around the back of Cafe du Monde and you can see them in the kitchen making the Beignets! Quite interesting!

Comes out of the roller and through the rectangular cutter,
then they get tossed into the deep fryer behind them!

The Horse heads

These aren't really considered 'old' when it comes to New Orleans history, or so I was told anyway and some locals in the shops had no idea where to send me when I asked about them...I just happened to come across them. I believe these were on Royal St. as you get closer to Canal St., these ones still had their rings. They were used to tie up the horses when people would stop and go into the shops...many have had their rings stolen and some are all chipped up, but this was the nicest bunch I came across all in a row.

Canal St. trolley

Canal Street was considered 'neutral ground' between the early settlers in the French Quarter and the working class of the Business District. The tour guide from the National Park said that New Orleans actually had many canals running through it and anywhere you see streets with the middle sections, this is where the canals use to be. He said that the French Quarter was built 'right' for proper drainage and then the 'American's' who were in the Business area redesigned their area, covering up the canals and didn't do such a great job...where the flooding was I believe?? Hmmmm....don't quote me though!

Oh! New Orleans actually has a subtropical climate...they had some banana trees growing in Jackson Square that the Guide had pointed out!

Overall I enjoyed the city, there is still so much to do and see there...I have my list of 'to do's' if we ever go back, ie. I'd take a proper tour of the graveyards and of the streets with the massive, southern homes, do the horse and buggy tour around the Quarter and take more pictures!! Oh, plus eat lots more Pinkberry!!


I'll leave you with this funny picture...this is what I looked at the flight to New Orleans...the lady in front of me, ever so kindly, hung her hair (at least it was clean!) over the back of her seat so that it nicely dangled above my tray table!  Hubby and I couldn't believe it! I'm sure my mouth was wide open, completely stunned that someone would do that??!!  Am I wrong?? Seriously. Thank goodness no hairs fell onto my table, I think I would have lost it! I'm not sure what actually stopped me from asking her to move her hair, but I didn't say anything...I think I was just too stunned...(oh, Hubby kindly reminded me it was HIM that stopped me).

Cheeky ladies hair

Hope everyone enjoys their weekend!

NOLA

Back in September, I was fortunate enough to travel with my husband (who was going to a conference for work) to visit New Orleans!! Originally I had no desire to visit there, only because when we save our money to go on vacations, I usually like it to be spent by the pool or ocean in the hot sun relaxing, which is my favourite place to be. So I researched the area and the more I read, the more excited I was to be going!! (I took about 200 pictures on this trip and I am going to have trouble choosing, so go get your cup of tea and settle in for a bit!!)

While Hubby was busy in the Convention Center, I made my way multiple times a day down to the French Quarter exploring!  Our hotel was right across from the Convention Center, so it was a bit of a hike to get there!  I actually enjoyed the exercise, but the sweating was a little more intense than I expected, to say the least!!! (Each day it hit 104F and that was with humidity!) On the upside of the sweating, I'm pretty sure with it being combined with all the walking I lost about 7lbs!!!!!  :D  I'd like to think I did anyway!

I think the first thing I really liked about NOLA (short form for New Orleans, Louisiana), was the fun colours they used on their buildings!! The ironwork was incredible as well, such beautiful detail on everything!

A Cajun restaurant on the way to the Quarter

Hubby and I arrived on a Wednesday afternoon and we got to see one of the cemeteries on our drive into the city...it's kinda neat, because they bury their dead above the ground in these whitish tomb style buildings because of the water table and out of ritual. (I do not claim to be a NOLA expert, so if I have mispoke about anything, please feel free to share what you know as well!!). I was told to make sure to take a tour if you want to visit a cemetary, not to go on your own, as well, they close early at about 3pm.

Our first evening we enjoyed the balmy night air and headed down to the French Quarter...we walked around the famous Jackson Square (where the horses are all lined up for tours and the artists sell their paintings). The very popular 'Cafe du Monde' is also right across from the Square and we sat and enjoyed some Beignets (pronounced BEN-yea). Hubby says to the server, 'Could I get a little more powdered sugar?'...poor girl didn't know what to think...he was just being silly with her.

Beignets at Cafe du Monde with coffee

The next morning I made my way to the French Quarter again and took a million pictures along the way...

These were the doors on the Insectarium on the west corner of the French Quarter

French Quarter building

Shotgun homes in the French Quarter

These were the only 'shotgun' homes that I saw in the French Quarter...I read that they were called that because of their simple floor plan inside...you could literally shoot a gun and it would go through each room in the house. 

Great door!

Great door knocker!

 

Looking down on Jackson Square

In the heart of the French Quarter is Jackson Square (the park), the square was named in honor of Andrew Jackson, the hero of the battle of New Orleans for which one of three statues are in honor of. You can also see the St. Louis Cathedral in the middle..it is said that you can draw a line down the middle of it and everything on either side is a mirror image. The 2 buildings on either side are the exact same, one is the Cabildo Museum. Then the buildings that make up the right and left sides of the square are the Pontalba Buildings, merchants downstairs and living quarters upstairs.

So you may be wondering if I went to Bourbon St.?  Well, yes we did...now please remember, this is my opinion based on my experience there...it was my least favourite street. Hubby and I went together during the day and I was completely shocked at the 'in your face obscenity' to be quite honest. I knew it was a party street, but I didn't realize that it was so graphic right on the front windows! That certainly isn't my idea of exploring a city, so I think we finished walking the block and I took my picture of the street sigh and we were outta there! 

I'll leave you with this last picture, I think this was my favourite door picture.

Part 2 of my trip will be next!!

Happy!

We are almost 1 year in our new house and are finally getting to the gardens!! They have kinda been put aside as we have worked at putting the rest of the house together and emptying out boxes. All that 'stuff' we've kept for a house 'just in case'!

I have a slight vision of what I'd like the yard to look like...my favourite scenery is the beach, so beach grasses, hydrangeas, peonies (I'm not sure they're at the beach, but I like them) and anything else!

An 'Endless Summer', blue hydrangea bush was a house warming gift from my Grandmother and it has finally come to bloom! HAPPY!!

Last year when we went to Cape Cod for our summer vacation the blue hydrangeas were everywhere!!!  They were stunning!  Since the Cape is one big sand box, the pine trees are everywhere making the soil acidic and a perfect environment for the blue ones to grow!!

I think if I had the choice of places to live, Cape Cod would be in my top three choices...I have such wonderful family memories of summer camping vacations there.  The beautiful beaches, great little towns scattered up and down the Cape, history everywhere, festivals, beautiful homes, delicious sea food resturants and gorgeous scenery.

Breakwater Beach, Brewster, Cape Cod

Chatham, Cape Cod

It also has the four seasons, so you don't miss out on any of them!  I, prefer the warmer weather, but I do have to admit that I am a fan of snow from Dec. 24th to Jan.1st, then it can all go away as far as I'm concerned!! I much prefer to spend my time in the warm, sunny weather (at the beach or by a pool of course) then raking leaves or shoveling snow (oh wait, that's my husband, not me!  ;) )

I really like how this house has the little windows above the door full of white starfish...and the hydrangeas are so plentiful!

Chatham, Cape Cod

This house mansion, made my jaw drop.  I made my husband turn back around so I could video it and get out and take pictures! This picture just does NOT do it justice...It was so beautiful! Oh, and right behind me...is the ocean. Such a beautiful view...I think I'll choose this one to be my summer home.  ;D

This last picture has nothing to do with hydrangeas, but I thought it was such a neat idea...It was in front of a store in downtown Chatham, Cape Cod...someone is super crafty!

What grows in your garden???

Pittsburgh Zoo!!!

Back in the spring we were visiting our friends in Pittsburgh and we had an outing to the zoo!!
We packed up the 3 kids, 2 bags full of snacks and off we went!

Little Miss was super excited to have her 'very own' zoo key for the day...you put this plastic 'key' into the machines that are in front of most of the animals and it plays music or tells you information about the animal, depending on what way you insert the 'key'.

The day we were there was a 'special' day and they had different craft stations set up around the zoo, so the first thing we came across was a kite craft. Here are the kids finished projects!

We then started to make our way around the zoo to see the animals...this Kangaroo was one of my favourites...I like to call it the 'George Costanza pose', I know it's a little bit different, but it was funny!

We found some play time for the kids after lunch...they both caught on very quickly!  The really enjoyed themselves!

We were quite pleased to see most of the animals out that day..sometimes they are sleeping or relaxing farther away and you can't see them...but this Lioness was right out in the open, looking very regal I'd say!

The Giraffe's are just such awesome creatures...you can't really grasp (or at least I think you can't) until you are up close looking at them...so big and beautiful!

This little baby Elephant was my favourite...all the elephants were inside this day.  The zoo keeper was there and 'she' (I think) kept trying to get into the keepers pockets for the peanuts in there...she was very playful!  The Momma was right next to her, keeping a close eye on her and would go over to her other baby's area, take hay from her and then bring it back to this baby...such intelligent creatures!

The Aquarium was our last stop of the day...these little Water Dragons from down under were really neat...just floating around...wonder what they think of us gawking at them all day??

This was one of my favourite pictures...the one little Penguin looks like he's standing so proudly under his flag...made us all giggle!

Last but not least...as the end of the day approached, Little Miss needed some help getting around...and since Daddy was off fishing with the guys for the weekend, I was like Momma Koala carrying around her baby!

I highly recommend the Pittsburgh Zoo if you are ever in the area!!