Learning Oysters.

   Over the summer I tried oysters for the first time while working on a food shoot. My boss was throwing them back one after the other and he asked the rest of the assistants and interns if they wanted to try some but all of them declined. When he asked me I was a bit nervous but I've always wondered what the hype was about so I just went for it! I immediately text Q to tell him about it and recommend that we try some at home ASAP! 

    Of course Q was immediately on board and the very next weekend we hit up Ippolito's in Philly to get the best goods. We didn't know what to pick out so we just let the guys at the counter make some recommendations. The only thing we left without was a shucking knife and that made things seriously difficult(and messy)! 

    I think we went through 3 knives, a kitchen towel, and a hot pad to get these guys open but eventually Q got the hang of it and we devoured these little gems with just a few drops of lemon juice and a pinch of capers. We are not experts by any means but we have figured out we prefer the sweeter West Coast oysters(not that we have a biased opinion though?!?! ;D).

 
  I totally enjoyed the oysters, really, but I also loved another opportunity to try something new with Q. I absolutely love that we share a passion for great food and we both have an adventurous side that keeps things fun and interesting♥ So cheers to new things blog family!

New Friends and New Games

   When we decided to move from Cape May to Voorhees I was a little nervous... mostly because I'd be leaving my group of Coastie wives and the community of the base. Everyone was so supportive and amazing  and it would be hard to start all over again. But!!! Then we met Gina and Bill! Gina is a photo major at my school and the only other married student I know so we instantly had more in common than I would have with most other kids at Uarts. Gina and Bill have also both lived in this part of NJ for their whole lives so they have kind of been playing tour guides whenever we hang out and its been fantastic!

   I've never been out to play billiards before so when Gina suggested it I was a little nervous I would be embarrassing myself. Luckily it was a Friday night so the other people playing in the place were getting their drink on and they weren't such hot shots either(LOL!). We ended up having a great time but that's a given when we hang out with these two!

Sharrott Winery

   I know its been a while but what better way to come back then with boosey chat and pics?! ;D This summer Q and I had a chance to finally try some wine tasting! We've never officially been and for whatever reason that seems to really surprise anyone that finds out we are from CA. This place is only 20 minutes from our new place, the wine was great, the grounds were beautiful, and they always send out sweet  groupon deals... so I think its safe to say we'll be going back!

Now that we have been tasting in Jersey we keep talking about going next time we come home. Anyone have any CA reccomendations?

Dog Update 2:

So at todays vet appointment zip got his bandages changed out:

{we thought the tech's choice of decoration and color was pretty funny}

...and the vet examined his wounds and reported that they have already started to heal themselves. She also said there are still no signs of infection which is great. We were talking about the infection issue and both Q and I decided we are so thankful that we gave zip the chance and that he pulled through those first 24 hours without any infection even though the ER vet only gave him a 5% chance of living through it. The vet is still considering minor surgery and/or stitches and he will be going in Friday and staying for observation so the vet can make some final decisions. We'll post another update then. Thanks again for all your support♥

Dog Update:

For those of you that have been following our dog incident/story here is the update:

Today we took him to our local vet in Cape May. She checked for any signs of infection and he is in the clear for now which is great news because that was one of the biggest concerns for the first 24 hours and into the first week. We have also been monitoring his temp, gum color, and breathing at home as these are all signs of an infection.

Right now he has 2 puncture wounds that are open but dressed. The muscle between his ribs has been torn, he has a few broken ribs, and damage to one of his lungs. The x-rays cant show the extent of the damage in his lung so it could range from bruising to actual lacerations. At this point he is stable and we are keeping him pumped full of antibiotics and pain meds. The local vet doesn't want to do full on open chest surgery if its not absolutely necessary, instead, she would rather monitor him closely as is and do minimal surgery/stitching just to clean and close him up. She also informed us that the cost of surgery here is significantly less expensive than surgery at the emergency vet hospital. This was a really nice thing to hear and we are praying for a do-able and hopeful treatment and recovery plan at tomorrows appointment.

We are so incredibly thankful for all the support, well wishes, and prayers! I know he couldn't have made it this far with out them. We will be posting updates here on the blog as things progress. Again, thank you for all the amazing support!

Photo Catch-Up: Maui's

While Calv was here visiting we made our way out to Mauis Dog House in Wildwood for an awesome lunch. We found the place on Diners Drive-Ins & Dives and waited weeks for it to finally open for the season. We all loved the food and Q and I decided we will definitely be making more trips out to Mauis soon (and it really was a fun mini-adventure to take Calvin on!).

Photo Catch-Up: CM Zoo

Photo Catch-Up: Liberty Bell

{Calv & I at the Liberty Bell}

Photo Catch-Up: Independence Hall

{Calv & I at Independence Hall}

Calvin at Colors

After a Morale BBQ on base I got to take Calvin to watch Q do Colors on the boat at sunset. I think it was kinda special(for both of us) to share this part of Qs new CG routine with Calvin. Every time I watch it I feel a huge sense of pride and Im sure Calvin felt it too.

You know your husband loves you when...

...he trades in his dream vehicle for a Pruis(the least masculine car ever made) so you can commute to school and live out a dream♥

{Q saying goodbye to his dear Murano at the dealership}

Im feeling so thankful for the significant things in my life right now and an incredibly supportive and loving husband is at the top of the list.

Beach time.

Earlier this week we took Calvin to the beach by our house and for his first frozen custard at Ritas on the boardwalk:

I think its safe to say everyone had a really good time!

Calvins first stop

When Calvin and I arrived in Philadelphia earlier this week we both decided a stop for cheesesteaks before heading home was definitely in order. We decided to take Calvin into Pats which was featured on Food Wars.

The steaks were delicious as usual and we had fun watching Calvin start to absorb the idea that he was finally "a long way from home"(his words) as we drove around Philadelphia a bit. Pretty good way to kick off his adventure.

Trip to CA:

My 10 day trip to CA was busy, emotional, successful, and genuinely fun.

I got to camp and visit with lots of family:

I went to a Graduation:

Ate at some of my favorite CA spots:

Enjoyed a bit of reading and relaxing:

And helped pull off our 5th Annual Fishing Derby successfully.

It was bittersweet saying goodbye but I did get to bring my cousin back for a visit on the East Coast. It was nice making the trip with someone to keep me company and I know we will have a blast showing him around our new place. We'll be back in the next couple of days with some posts on Calvin's visit. Happy Sunday!