Making your zoo visit count

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Today I'm welcoming Megan, my long time friend and my personal go-to when it comes to questions about conversationalism and ocean animals! One of my favorite things to see on my facebook feed was when Megan was working with a stranding group and she'd share about what she's working on...mostly with processing stranded whales or seals, but there's always a ton to be learned about what these animals leave behind. What I'm saying is - for the last several years I've been bouncing around in my head about how I can turn fun zoo and aquarium trips into educational experiences for myself and the kids; rather than a sideline show where they ooh and ahh at an animal and quickly move on to the next, not really comprehending that this animal that they saw was actually very special and rare. I talked to Megan about this and she was gracious enough to write up a post about it and share her thoughts as a professional in the field! 

Zoos and aquariums are a catch-22 for me. On the one hand, they provide the general public access to animals they would otherwise probably never encounter and can serve as an educational tool for conservation efforts of their wild counterparts. They can also be a last resort to prevent a species from going entirely extinct due to habitat destruction, poaching, climate change, etc. But how many times have you been to the zoo and actually taken the time to read and learn about the animals there or attend one of the zookeeper talks? I know there are people out there who do because I am one of those people but too often I see people simply wandering around from exhibit to exhibit, glancing at the animals but not really putting in the effort to learn or engage their children to learn. This is where part of my issue with them lies. Admittedly, it is not really an issue with the zoos themselves but with the people visiting; however I also feel it falls on zoo staff/volunteers to create engaging learning environments so that more people will want to learn. Here are some of my tips for making your trip to the zoo fun, educational and an act of conservationalism:

• Stop and read the postings at each exhibit to learn about the animals and their natural habitats.
• Take the time to attend talks by zookeepers and don’t be embarrassed to ask questions!
• If you are a frequent zoo-goer, have each visit focus on a certain area and spend time before and after your trip learning about each area and its wild inhabitants. 

My other issue with captivity is just that—captivity. While most captive animals these days were born that way and would therefore not survive in the wild, I can’t help but feel that they deserve bigger and more natural habitats, much like what a sanctuary provides. Besides, isn’t the point of checking out a polar bear at the zoo to see how it would naturally behave in the Arctic, something most of us will never get to experience? I’m all for going to zoos/aquariums (in fact, I LOVE going!) but I would encourage everyone to slow down, take your time and turn something fun for the kids into a learning experience for all. 

How do you turn a zoo or aquarium visit 

into an educational experience for yourself or your kids?
Check out The Pierogie Mama's zoo bucket list!

A little about Megan: I'm currently a stay at home mama to an almost 9-month old little man named Declan. I earned my Bachelor of Science degree in marine biology at Hawaii Pacific University, where I focused on marine mammalogy. After graduating and moving back to Washington, I worked for a marine mammal research organization, doing photo identification work and stranding response. I currently live in central North Carolina but hope to make it back to the coast so I can work in my field again. You may remember me from my Shark Week posts on The Pierogie Mama's facebook page. 

Why Supporting Cancer Research is Important to Me? Candice's Story

Over the last month I've been a journey to raise $500 before September 27th to benefit cancer research through the Jimmy Fund Walk and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Last week I was honored to announce that I had exceeded my goal of fundraising $500 and am now on the way to raise an additional $250 (bringing the total goal up to $750)! Today I am honored to welcome Candice as she shares why supporting cancer research is important to her. She is one of the most sincere women than I know and is a fellow chicken mama like I am! In fact, I'd call her my chicken godmother because she taught me so much about backyard chickens. She is also the owner of Comfort Chickens Homestead, where you can find handmade American soy candles that are the best smelling candles I have ever had! Candice and Comfort Chickens Homestead has partnered with my goal and today we are sharing her story about why supporting cancer research is important to her. 

We are still looking for donations to reach our new and improved goal -
please consider pledging $5 or more! Donate here. 
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"911"

"Yes, I have an emergency!"

Many people don't know this, but I work as a 911 call receiver. On any given day, I take calls from a multitude of people that never expected to have to call for emergency help. They were just going about their day, when suddenly unexpected tragedy strikes.

In the same way, many people don't expect to be relying on cancer research. They never planned to get cancer, and yet they do, and it turns their whole world upside down. When this happens, having people working on finding a cure is the best emergency help they could receive.

I am constantly amazed at how many people cancer affects. It knows no bias or limitation, it holds no prejudice. Man, woman, or child, it does not matter. A couple I went to high school with have a four year old daughter who is currently battling stage 4 neuroblastoma. At four years old she should be having fun, playing with her siblings, and living care free. Instead, she is battling the disease that wants to take her life. This is her reality.

Reality also has another side to it. The reality is there are great people out there working intensely to find a cure for cancer. They are working non-stop to put an end to this horrible disease, and to give people their lives back. But they can't do it without our help. Cancer research requires funding, and that's where you and I come in. While we may not have the knowhow for lab research, we can certainly support them by funding their important work. No amount is too small, and every bit makes a difference.

When people call 911 with a medical emergency, we have to ask about their medical problems and history. It shocks me how many people say cancer. This disease takes root in whoever it can, and no one is off limits. Before I was a 911 call receiver, I worked as a fire safety service technician servicing fire extinguishers and hood systems. One of the ladies in our office was diagnosed with cancer, and within a few months had been taken from us by it. It happened so quickly it almost didn't seem real. But it was.

What also is real is that with funding, researchers are able to continue finding cures and treatments for cancer. They are able to help so many that come to them in desperate need of help. Their work helps families be able to keep their loved ones, friends keep their friends, and the list goes on. With our help, they can continue their valuable work and put an end to cancer. We can fight this together, and win big together. The point is, we are in this together. Lets support one another and make cancer a thing of the past, TOGETHER!

A little about Candice: Inspired by God, country lifestyle, and chickens, I set to work in 2013 hand crafting my own candles.  After much testing, I finally found the perfect combination of wax, fragrance oils, and wicks! From there Comfort Chickens Homestead was born. And the rest is history! All Comfort Chickens Homestead candles are made from 100% soy wax, which  is a renewable resource and burns much cleaner. The soy wax used in CCH candles is made in the USA with crops grown from our very own farmers, is made with pure soybean oil (100% vegetable), is natural and biodegradable, and is GMO free!

Car Model Photo Frame Tutorial

I made this photo frame for my nephew's 4th birthday last week. It was very easy to make and ended up being a total hit! All it takes is a few items that can be easily found at home, your local thrift store or by asking friends who might be done with model toy cars (my local Buy Nothing Group is amazing for that!).

What you'll need:

Photo frame - it's best if the frame is as flat as possible to ensure easy contact points
Model cars
Hot glue gun and extra sticks.
Metallic spray paint

Directions:
1. Clean the photo frame of any dust or debris (like sticker residue). Remove the backing and glass from the picture frame. Do the same for the model cars. Make sure that everything is truly clean and dry before continuing.

2. Arrange your model cars along the picture frame so that you can get a good sense of how they are best arranged.
3. Turn on your hot glue gun and let it fully heat up.
4. Turn each car over and "lock up" the wheels with a couple dots of glue inside the wheel wells. You'll be using the tires as contact points for the frame and it'll add more stability if the wheels can't rotate. Allow them to set.
5. One car at a time, tack glue dots on each of the four wheels and gently press onto the picture frame where the car will set. Repeat for each of the cars until your frame is full!

6. Once the glue has completely set, gently test each car's connection by seeing it if will wiggle. If it does, tack on some extra glue at the contact points.
7. Clean up those hot glue strings! They will show up in the finished product!
8. In a well ventilated space, prepare your spray painting station. I went outside in our gravel driveway and used a piece of cardboard to angle the picture frame for best coverage without having to touch it.

9. Light coats work best. Give it a few minutes to dry between coats. I gave it a day to fully cure before I handled it to see which nooks and crannies I missed. Then spot spray as needed.
10. Add a fun photo and you're done!

This little boy was super excited and in love with his custom picture frame, filled with a photo of him and his cousins.

Visiting the Dallas Zoo

In May we took a week long family trip to Dallas as a piggyback on my husband's business travel. One of my favorite things to do with my daughters is visit the zoo, so I've made it a fun goal to visit different zoos across the country when the opportunity presents itself.

We actually ended up visiting the Dallas Zoo two days in a row. This was in part because of my sprained ankle that happened the day before our flight and because I spent most of first day in the Zoo North part of the park, only realizing at the very end that the Wilds of Africa part was worthy of an additional day as well. Luckily I have an annual membership at our local zoo which granted me discounted tickets to any AZA accredited zoo, so it was totally affordable to go twice!

It's kind of fun getting to seeing a different zoo that is across the country because animals behave differently based on the climate. Seattle is very temperate and you don't get a lot of extreme weather, but I'm sure that the warm climate creatures missing their natural sunshine. For the time we spent in Dallas it was in the mid 80's, fairly humid with scattered thunder showers. It was amusing to see what thunder showers mean to Texans versus what it means to a Washingtonian. In Western Washington we really don't get a whole lot of thunder storms. But when the thunder started rolling at the Dallas Zoo, I quickly saw the umbrellas and ponchos get broken out. Then it started to rain...and it was warm. Yes, the stereotype is mostly true, it rains a lot in Washington but a girl gets used to it. But warm rain, on a hot day, was actually nice! It was funny to notice that difference.

At the age of 3, Penny is really into dinosaurs. We even had a fairy-dinosaur joint birthday party for per and Ruby back in March. So imagine this girl's glee when we walk into the park and she spots something very peculiar on the ground..

Nope, we definitely don't have these in Seattle!

It was awesome witnessing her reaction to seeing "real" dinosaurs; as most of these were animatronic and fairly realistic, even to an adult.

She also had to make sure that each dinosaur was appropriately roared at.

Onward we went and discovered The Steam, which was a play area designed to look like a stream for children (and their parents) to cool off in. We spent a lot of time here, wading through the water, Penny jumping from different rock features and Ruby testing the waters as she toddled around.

But the part of the zoo that has me raving about is the Wilds of Africa portion. It was truly impressive because of the truly open layout of the savannah that momentarily takes you away from a zoo in Texas to actually seeing what it looks like in nature. As a matter of fact, this was the first exhibit in North America to combine elephants with zebras, giraffes, impalas, ostriches and guinea fowl in the same habitat!  

The Woodland Park Zoo recently transitioned their elephant herd to the Tulsa Zoo and it was incredibly surprising to see how many elephants the Dallas Zoo has; at one point I photographed 5 in the same picture.

Penny enjoyed the giraffe exhibit as well - the giraffe heads were at eye level with us so we were able to get pretty close to them. Sadly we just learned that the little baby in the herd died last week because of an injury.

Stay tuned for more of our adventures in Dallas, Texas!
Part 1: Getting there and staying at The Omni

Have you visited the Dallas Zoo? 

Tell me about your favorite exhibit!

Catch up on my other zoo trips across North America!

Why is Supporting Cancer Research Important to Me? Sheila's story

I'm on a journey to raise $500 before September 27th to benefit cancer research through the Jimmy Fund Walk and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Today I am honored to welcome Sheila, a good friend and new owner of Just Between Friends Marysville/Mount Vernon, a consignment sale event that is coming to Skagit County in Washington State! JBF Marysville/Mount Vernon has partnered with my goal and today we are sharing Sheila's story about why supporting cancer research is important to her. 

We are still looking for donations to reach our goal - please consider pledging $5 or more! Donate here. 

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As far back as I can remember, I've heard the scary 'C' word mentioned in hushed adult conversations among my family.  Another aunt, uncle, or cousin has been diagnosed with cancer.  Another aunt, uncle, or cousin is dying from cancer--another aunt, uncle, or cousin has died from cancer.  

I remember a hushed conversation my parents were having one night where my dad was crying.  I was eight then.  This time, it was my grandmother who was very sick and going through chemo for colon cancer.  That previous summer, I had visited her in South Carolina, and she had lost all of her thick, wavy hair and a ton of weight.  I didn't understand the side-effects of chemo at eight, nor the severity of the situation.   When I look back to that summer trip, it's so bittersweet.  We had built many great memories together and planned so many things for my next visit.  I left with a happy heart, eager to return to her.  Little did I know, the embrace she gave me at the airport would be the last one from her.  I wish I remembered it more.

Just a few, precious months later, in October of 1990, my grandmother passed from colon cancer.  She was only 60.  She was only our family's everything--our matriarch, our anchor--our glue that held us together. 

Cancer research is important to me because when I think of my grandmother, I can't help but to also think of how cancer robbed our family of her prematurely.  I can't help but to think of my father's tears that night...or of mine.  

I've recently discovered that a genetic mutation predisposing us to certain types of cancer exists in my family's genes.  What this means for myself, my children, or their children, I'm not sure yet.  I will pray for the best.  What I do know is that I am grateful for the men and women researching the scary 'C,' and I am hopeful that by the time my children are adults the scary 'C' will be a little less frightening.  

Sheila Palaruan and her husband, Bryan Palaruan, are the owners of the new Just Between Friends Marysville/ Mt. Vernon children's consignment event.  They met in 2002 while serving in the Navy onboard the aircraft carrier, USS J.C. Stennis.  He claims she hit on him.  It totally didn't happen. Together, they have two children, Luciana (3), and Josiah (1).  They also have too many pets to name, and are proud residents of the Sky Valley.