#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨
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Sweetnicks

Food and Life

Summer 2011: Six Flags Safari

July 13, 2011 · Narrative

Entrance
Warning: Picture overload.  If you know me and the kids and how much we love animals, then you’ll know that the 30+ pictures below show great restraint on my part.

When my sister and I were kids, summers meant one thing: a trip to Six Flags/Great Adventure with my Dad and friends.  We’d leave the house super-early to make sure we were at the park gate when they opened, and spend the entire day riding the rides, doing the loop-de-loops and sustaining ourselves with hot dogs and sodas.  ‘Tis just the type of adventure that cherished memories are made from.  Of course now that I’m a full-fledged grown-up and pretty chicken-sh!t about rides, I no longer do anything that goes upside down, super fast, defies the laws of gravity or vows to make me sick.

Although the safari has been there seemingly forever, I have never been.  The kids actually went last year with The Ex, but after our visit this weekend, I think it’s safe to say they’d go again and again.  So would I.  It was on my Summer Bucket List last year, but we never made it.  This summer, I was determined.

Billed as the largest drive-thru safari in the US, it’s four-and-a-half miles of jungle goodness. You pay per person ($21), and can drive at your own pace.  It tickled me to see the giraffes and bears just ambling up to the cars like it was a completely normal occurrence.  Why of course the giraffe is eating off the top of my car, why wouldn’t he be?

We entered the safari with six pictures on my camera card.  Nick checked when we left, and the total was up to 511.  Yeah, we took a few pictures.  On the way home, we talked about our favorite parts and we all agreed: the giraffes, the bear cubs and the baboons.  I totally just typed baboobs there first.  Oops.

Welcome to the Jungle

Four Little Monkeys Sitting on a Tree
Love this photo because it reminds me of one of Madeline’s favorite books, Five Little Monkeys Sitting in a Tree, and of course, her nickname, Monkey. Even if these are baboons.

Warning
Baboob Look-Out

Where the Deer and the Antelope Play

Llama Llama Where's Your Mama

Paws Up
We could have watched these bear cubs for hours. They alternated between playing with huge sticks and logs and cleaning in between their toes. Too cute.

Bear Cub Bath Time

All Better

Balancing Act

Hunt and Peck

Giraffe Facts
The giraffes were so graceful. And gentle. And freakin’ huge! The tushes of the adult giraffes were higher up than the top of my truck. A few of them found something they liked on my roof, and we held up traffic for a good while as they feasted on goodness knows what. I tried to pull away a few times, but they were so close, I was afraid of running over their hooves.

Giraffe Neck

Giraffe Kisses
A baby giraffe kissing Nick’s window.

Snack Time

Huge

Feed Me

Giraffe Crossing

Giraffes on the Loose

Traffic Jam

Rear View

Zebra Feeding

Steer

Anticipation

Rhea

Elephant Close-Up

Gentle Giant

Disinterested

Moose Walking

Safari - Entry

My friend Cathy asked about damage to your car while going through the safari. There are definitely a number of different types of animals roaming free and walking up to the cars that are going through, but I didn’t worry about my car once. They come up, sniff around, and wander off. Some of the more active animals, like the baboons for example, are behind fences and gates and although you can get close, they are confined.  Well, except for that one that somehow got loose last week…  But I swear, no worries.

There are a number of (reasonable) rules posted throughout and reiterated. You can’t get out of your car nor open your windows. That last one hurt just a little. Not because I wanted to touch the animals, but it’s a challenge to get good photos through the window glass. But I’d also rather enjoy the safari with my littles safe and sound. We did see a few people open their windows; one guy tried to touch a giraffe as it came close and seriously spooked it. Poor thing. The giraffe, not the guy. Idiot.

If you’re within reasonable driving distance, I think it’s totally worth it to go and visit the safari. We were there for nearly two hours, and the kids were bubbling over with excitement for the rest of the day. Great summer activity. If you want to make a day out of it, you could, of course, also visit the amusement park and Hurricane Harbor, their adjoining water park.

Six Flags Great Adventure
P.O. Box 120, Route 537
Jackson, NJ 08527

PS – If any of the above photos made you swoon, they’ll be available in my Etsy shop by the end of the week.

July 13, 2011 – Bonus Photos
Mission  Organization - Open Shelving
This is the only bookshelf area where the books are color-coded. I swear I’m not that OCD about it. Because the shelves are white, and near a window, I just thought this space was better suited to rainbow-like organization. One of my personal summer projects is to go through the house, corner by corner, and organize and purge. For the past few years, I’ve been moving more towards a “less is more” philosophy and just want less stuff. I want to enjoy space and memories more, and not be so weighed down by material objects. Since leftovers were on the menu tonight, I used the extra time to organize this bookshelf area and the baking drawer below. One area at a time…

Mission Organization - Baking Drawer
Those cookie cutters taunt me every time I open up this drawer. I can count on one hand how many times I use cookie cutters on an annual basis, so really feel that they should give up the valuable drawer real estate and move on to another home, but for some reason, I’m having a hard time parting with them. I think I’m ready though. Any takers? Have quite the collection to send along to the first happy baker that speaks up.

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Posted In: Narrative · Tagged: Etsy, Five Little Monkeys Sitting in a Tree, Great Adventure, safari, Six Flags

Comments

  1. Kris #40 says

    July 13, 2011 at 8:44 pm

    Send those cutters up to me! I will put them to good use – and will share.

    Fun adventure you had!

    Reply
  2. beth says

    July 13, 2011 at 8:44 pm

    no cookie cutters needed in this home, but i do have a suggestion – i keep mine in one of those plastic file box thingies you can get at target and i store it next to the bin with all of my other cookie baking supplies. our in-kitchen storage space is just too precious for once or twice a year to take up residence in it.

    Reply
  3. Cathy says

    July 13, 2011 at 8:55 pm

    thanks for the deets on the safari – we went to one as a kid and it was back when they let the monkey’s run wild – my dad has picks of the monkey breaking his windshield wipers!

    cookie cutters used to drive me nuts too – mine are in one of those plastic shoe containers and they live in the basement with my lobster pot and other items that are not kitchen friendly :-)

    Reply
  4. Susan J says

    July 13, 2011 at 10:14 pm

    Looks like fun! I love to go somewhere like that.
    And I would love those cookie cutters! ;D

    Reply
  5. Joanne says

    July 14, 2011 at 6:22 am

    I can’t believe I’ve never even HEARD of Six Flags Safari…let alone been there!

    Reply
  6. Ramona says

    July 14, 2011 at 10:07 am

    Neat place to visit with the animals. Glad your AC was working!

    Reply
  7. Tyanne says

    July 14, 2011 at 2:40 pm

    I don’t use mine much either, so I gave them to my kids to use with play doh, they love it!

    Reply
    • Cate O'Malley says

      July 15, 2011 at 10:49 am

      Great idea!

      Reply
  8. Cate O'Malley says

    July 15, 2011 at 10:48 am

    Kris and Susan – will split the cookie cutters between the two of you (have more stashed in boxes!). Susan, e-mail me at cate AT sweetnicks DOT com with your mailing address.

    Reply
  9. Michelle says

    July 15, 2011 at 2:36 pm

    If it’s not too late, I wouldn’t mind some cookie cutters either! Either way, that’s so generous of you :)

    Reply

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#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛

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#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨

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