reconciliation

Two years of silence. Five hours of honesty followed by forgiveness. I am thankful for reconciliation along with the closure and newness it brings.

My CoWorkers Rock My Face Off

Not only do we have fun working together, we have fun playing together. I thoroughly enjoy the camaraderie between my zoo camp counselor friends. They are truly incredible individuals! We recently saw a sneak peek of Zoo Keeper and floated down the Chattahoochee together. I cannot wait until our next outing!

Crafty Cereal-bowl Carapaces

Has the suspense been killing yah? We made cereal-bowl turtles this week at camp! The inspiration of making colorful carapaces came from reading Jabuti the Tortoise by Gerald McDermott. Here's (just one way) how you can make a recycled turtle!!

After some short prep of hot gluing popsicle sticks for flippers/legs and gluing construction paper (or pompoms) for heads...

just "paint on" various colors of tissue paper with a equal parts glue/water mixture.

Let dry and...

Viola! You have made super cute and eco-friendly turtles :-]

My (not so new, I guess) love~

Went to the High Museum of Art this morning (for free~ thanks, Bank of America!) to see their new exhibits. I was delighted to discover that Mister John Marin also enjoyed elephants. This particular quotation of his made my day: "I love to watch the way the elephant walks, the way it puts its foot down. It puts its foot down with respect for the Earth."

I love to watch Kelly and Tara at Zoo Atlanta~ especially when they are boogying!

While "summer sorting", My mom stumbled across these pictures of me as a four year old. The love with elephants started early :-]

Chances are this will someday soon be a reality...

Around the Web

A delicious wedding story.

An out of this world way to eat pizza.

Dear Santa, I would like one of these!

I heart them.

What to take to the July Fourth potluck? Check.

Potential wedding cake topper?

Summer craft project (except with Scrabble CheezIts wrappers).

No laughing matter, I Love Liberty! Happy Fourth of July everyone :-]

Yay turtles!!!

Zoo Atlanta and the Georgia Sea Turtle Center are teaming up to help Diamondback Terrapins. Collaboration is a beautiful thing :-] I am proud to be affiliated with both of these institutions as they strive to save turtles.

Hmmm...

What can one do with one hundred seventy-seven self serve cereal bowls? Stay tuned :-]

Pachyderm Pedicure & Panda Playtime

Tara was busy getting a pedicure today. Watching took me back to my Georgia Sea Turtle Center days when the sea turtle patients would get a "shell-icure" (scrapping loose pieces of keratin off of their carapace and plastron) during their treatments. Did you know that elephants have five toes on their front feet and four toes on their rear feet? And no, we do not paint their nails (as one darling camper wondered today :-] )

For the first time in three weeks, I finally saw this little guy in action-- and boy was he funny! Here is my proposed panda dialogue~

Po: "Hiyah...surprise roundhouse kick to the face success...Let's play, Mom!"

Lun Lun: "Oh my little Kung Fu Panda, you have a body slam coming your way!"

Lun Lun: "Haha! Bow to your Sansei, Little One!"

Po: "Ah! Not the tummy tickle monster!"

(tickle wars immense)

Lun Lun:"Whew, Momma Kung Fu Panda is getting tired..."

Po: "Hey Mom, check out my awesome Kung Fu balance pose!"

Lun Lun: "Uh-hun" (heavy snoring continues)

Po: "I win! I win! Now for a snack..."

This job is so much fun :-]

Found my limit~

Now, y'all know by now that I just love turtles and anything graced with a turtle. But this just goes too far~ A sea turtle toliet seat?!?! Seriously? Crazy.

(photo credit)

Elephant Encounter...Video!!

Hey guys! Here is video of me meeting Kelly~ Enjoy!

Do you have a tattoo?

(photo credit)

I love this idea for a tattoo. Ooh especially for a sea turtle tattoo~ hmmm...

P.S. My campers and I watched Kelly and Tara have blood drawn from their ears during a routine exam. Awesome! Did you know that elephants love to eat watermelon? Yum Yum!

P.P.S. Happy World Oceans Day :-]

If I were a Webpage...

Three of my most favorite things: UGA, honeybees, & sea turtles. All on one page too~ neato!

Elephant Encounter

When I am not loving on turtles I am looooving on some elephants!! A childhood dream of mine came true today~ I touched and fed an African Elephant. Kelly is quite a beauty! Originally from Namibia, she came to Zoo Atlanta in 1986 when she was three years old. I cannot wait to introduce Kelly and Tara (an other African Elephant at Zoo Atlanta) to my campers next week! Oh yeah, We are the Exciting Elephants...how perfect!!

Shellebrate!!

Happy World Turtle Day!!

Got to spend the day at Zoo Atlanta with this awesome Aldabra Tortoise :-]

Now that's neat...

Speaking of my love for trees...check out this rad bookshelf & lamp!!

Pirates!!!

Friday cannot get here fast enough!!!

Griffin

Goodbye, old friend.

Turtles Everywhere!

I purchased this cleverly crafty bottlecap tortoise at Zoo Atlanta. Next time, I will use my employee discount to get him a buddy. Yep, that is correct- I am now working at Zoo Atlanta as a summer camp instructor...totally thrilled!!

Meet my new friends at Zoo Atlanta. The Leopard Tortoise (left) is aptly named! He was a fast little guy!! Doesn't that salad look scrumptious?! This Burmese Star Tortoise (right) thinks so!

Look what swam my way from TikiToes in Lawai, Hawaii~ Cannot wait to put them on Leandro!!

Yay for honey and sea turtles! Did you know that the Georgia Sea Turtle Center uses honey and honeycomb on their turtle patients? The honeycomb is bendable and waterproof (which is a huge help as the sea turtles are in water!) fitting nicely in their wounds. The honey also produces hydrogen peroxide in the wounds. Isn't nature cool?! Honeybees, like sea turtles, are an endangered species.

My uterus skipped a beat when I saw these baby overalls with a turtle on them!!! Ah! Two of my most favorite things. No, I did not purchase them...at least not yet! I am going to wait until they are on sale :-]

Happy Arbor Day!!

Thank you Jesus for trees! I think they are just wonderful. A childhood consisting of Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree and countless viewings of Swiss Family Robinson aided in this love. Climbing, sitting, hammocking, building, resting, dreaming, eating yummy fruits, hanging twinkly lights, swinging, breathing and plenty more are possible because of these beautiful and mighty creations. Our dear Savior even paid our ransom upon a tree. Here are some of my most favorite trees from all over my little part of the world:

Cherry Blossom Trees in Conyers, GA

Athens, GA

Palm Trees in Orlando, FL

Grandfather Tree on Jekyll Island, GA

Tomorrowland Tree in the Magic Kingdom of Walt Disney World

Driftwood Beach on Jekyll Island, GA

Atlantic Station Christmas Tree in Atlanta, GA

Baldwin, GA

Harris Neck Pine Tree in MacIntosh County, GA

Maple Tree outside my former college apartment window in Athens, GA

Advice from a Tree

By Ilan Shamir

Dear Friend,

Stand Tall and Proud

Sink your roots deeply into the Earth

Reflect the light of a greater source

Think long term

Go out on a limb

Remember your place among all living beings

Embrace with joy the changing seasons

For each yields its own abundance

The Energy and Birth of Spring

The Growth and Contentment of Fall

The Rest and Quiet Renewal of Winter

Feel the wind and the sun

And delight in their presence

Look up at the moon that shines down upon you

And the mystery of stars at night.

Seek nourishment from the good things in life

Simple pleasures

Earth, fresh air, light

Be content with your natural beauty

Drink plenty of water

Let your limbs sway and dance in the breezes

Be flexible

Remember your roots

Empty Tomb Easter Cookies

I made these cookies with my Vacation Bible School Kindergarteners two years ago and they still talk about them! Try making them with your family. They serve as a creative visual and delicious treat whilst learning and celebrating our

Risen Lord!!

Ingredients:

1 cup whole pecans, in a plastic baggie

1 teaspoon vinegar

3 egg whites

1 pinch salt

1 cup sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees--you MUST do it now. Also, gather a cooking mallet, kitchen mixer, masking tape and Bible.

2. Read John 19:1-3 ~ Jesus was beaten for our sins; beat the nuts with a cooking mallet; set aside.

3. Read John 19:28-30 - Jesus drank something like vinegar (gall), sniff the fragrance, dip finger in and taste, too; place the vinegar in a mixing bowl.

4. Read John 10:10-11 - Egg whites symbolize Jesus' holy, innocent life; add whites to the bowl with the vinegar.

5. Read Luke 23:27 - the bitter tears of the women; taste a few grains, remember your own sins; add the salt to the bowl.

6. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16 - Sweet salvation! Taste and see; add to the bowl.

7. Crank up the mixer and let it go while you read from Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3; let the mixer go for about 12-15 MINUTES; this needs to be VERY stiff!

8. Read Matthew 27:57-60 - Fold the nuts into the egg-sugar mixture; this symbolizes the rocks in the garden.

9. Using a scoop or knife & spoon, drop by spoon into mounds (to resemble a rocky tomb); put into the oven and turn it OFF!

10. Read Matthew 27:65-66 - The tomb is sealed; use two pieces of tape (5-6 inches long) to "seal" the door edges (symbolically).

11. Read John 16:20 & 22 - Consider these passages, then go to bed!

12. NEXT MORNING: Read Matthew 28:1-9 - Jesus is risen! Behold--the empty tomb! Unseal the oven door, take out the cookies, break or bite one in half -- it should be hollow inside---empty---just like the Tomb!

13. He is risen! He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

Recipe taken from here.