It’s hard to believe this is the last week of July! Exactly one month from tomorrow Princess Nagger starts school. The future Paleontologist has asked for a specific backpack and lunchbox for her Back To School mode:
She has boycotted the Disney Princesses and anything pink, purple or girlie. The company that sells the above also has T-Rex, Ankylosaurus and Triceratops, but according to Princess Nagger those are boring. So it has to be the Velociraptor. Wish me luck.
My sister has the coolest dinosaur pop-up book ever.
I had never heard of Robert Sabuda or his awesome pop-up books, but when I saw the one my sister has, I decided I needed to get one for Princess Nagger for her birthday coming up in November. So I hit eBay and found one really cheap, bid, won and paid for it while on vacation. When I got back, the seller sent me shipping info, then a few days later refunded my money. And listed it on Half.com instead. So I found a different one from a different seller. And it came today – like this:
It was crammed into an ordinary envelope so of course it was damaged during shipping. No padding, no protection of any kind. I don’t understand sellers that can be so careless with something like this. I’m sure Princess Nagger won’t care, but I do. I’ve emailed the seller so we’ll see what she has to say for herself.
Remember this picture from our vacation?
That was the gang digging for geodes at a geode mine in Keokuk, Iowa. We had to stop and ask for directions at one point (which had the locals looking at us like we were crazy to want to pick up some geodes) because we started off in this area for our search:
From where I was taking the picture, there was a 6 to 7-foot mostly vertical bank down to the stream. My sister, Princess Nagger and I were looking for geodes near a bridge when I found a few promising ones, and decided it would be a good idea to climb up the embankment to find the guys and see how they were doing. As I reached the top of the embankment, my foot slipped and I started sliding backwards, my geode loot started to roll away from me as I wildly grasped for clumps of grass to keep me from falling into the stream (though it might have been a welcome dunking, since it was a very hot day).
I tried to regain my footing and grab onto the escaping geodes, I called out to my sister and brother-in-law: “Save the geodes! Whatever you do, save the geodes!” Of course that resulted in my sister bursting out laughing. A few scratches, a couple of bruises, and a small dent to the ego – but the geodes were safe. Then we headed off to the actual geode mine and had fun (and a few blisters from our inept attempts of using the claw end of hammers to dig them out of the clay). We spent the next day cutting about 75% of them open with a ground pipe cutter, and only brought home 1/4 of our ‘haul’ (next time I won’t let hubby be in charge of divvying them up with my brother-in-law):
Pretty cool, aren’t they? We’re going to figure out how to polish them up all nice – stay tuned.
On the way home as we crossed over the Mississippi, I spotted a ‘Scenic Overlook’ sign and decided to stop to get some pictures of the ‘scenic’ part, assuming it would be of the Mississippi River. This was the view from that ‘scenic’ overlook:
Not quite what I had in mind. At least the informational sign at the overlook was interesting, and Princess Nagger was happy to pose for the camera:
At a different stop, we saw the biggest moth ever. At first Princess Nagger thought it was fake, so she poked at it, and jumped back when it moved. I’ve never seen a bright orange moth, let alone a ginormous one:
Hubby held a lighter up as I took a picture you can see its size in comparison. Ironically the lighter was orange, too:
Told you it was big. I’m just glad it didn’t freak out and dive bomb us over Princess Nagger poking it, hubby invading its space with a lighter, and me moving in a little close for pictures. And I’m glad Princess Nagger didn’t ask if we could bring it home.
That wraps up this week’s jam-packed Random Tuesday Thoughts – head on over to see Keely The Un-Mom for some fun randomness!
I think geodes are so cool.
And I got my nephew a book very similar to that. He loved it!
Kristina P. would like you to read ..Giving a Hoot
that is a cool looking moth and same for the geodes…that is a pretty amazing book, but that sucks the way they sent it to you…
brian would like you to read ..mourning after
I love PN’s pose at the scenic overlook. We were driving across Iowa or Nebraska, I can’t remember which, and saw a sign for a “scenic vista”. Considering that the closest hill would have to be man-made we got a laugh out of it. It was a vista of corn fields.
Michele would like you to read ..Summer Squash Frittata Recipe
Princess Nagger is such a cutie…and that moth is kind of creepy.
The Urban Cowboy would like you to read ..A Guest Post – Dreams of a Cowboy
I love the lunch box! Gotta love a girl who isn’t scared to boycott the Disney industry!
Alaina would like you to read ..More random thoughts
I think it’s great when little girls like things that aren’t all girly pink! Your daughter is a SERIOUS future paleontologist! I love it!!
Joanie Mack would like you to read ..Happy Birthday Bratface!!!
I can’t believe the seller refunded your money and relisted on a different site. Can they do that? That would really tick me off.
cool geodes….and that moth, wow….
looks like a great trip 😉
Those geodes are so awesome, says the geologist! To bad about the scenic overlook, at least the moth made up for it.
I would be really upset with that seller and demand some of my money back. That wasn’t the condition you bought the book in and they are responsible for getting it to you safely! Would a box have killed them?
The geodes are pretty neat. Great keepsake from the trip.
Mama Badger would like you to read ..Microfiction Monday and Id rather be
We have the Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland by the same guy. They are incredible pop-up books!
Pollyanna would like you to read ..Happiness Is
I wish my daughter would boycott the pink girlie stuff – her bedroom looks like a giant pink cupcake! There’s something to be said for little tom-boys! Those geodes are really neat!
Leigh would like you to read ..Music Monday – The Last Summer
Excuse me while I stop myself from hyperventilating from that moth!!!! Ewwww. I don’t know why but moths (along with any other bug) terrify me!!!
*shudders*
Pooba would like you to read ..Gettin My Photag On
Nice backback and lunch box. She cracks me up! Sorry about the book, can’t believe how they packed it. Those are some beautiful geodes. Wow that moth is huge.
Debby would like you to read ..FEELING LUCKY
I love Robert Sabuda books. My sister-in-law has bought a couple of them for my girls. Of course, I grabbed them and put them away since they are so fragile. I know I told you this, but my kids love geodes. They would have loved to go out and find their own.
Pretty cool backpack and lunch box that she wants. You made me remember my younger daughter who would not wear a skirt or dress and would not have anything to do with pink or girlie things at all. Total opposite of her older sister. Needless to say she did not wear hand me downs from her sister. I was re-reading your adventure on eBay. I have never bought from eBay but I would be very unhappy to be told something would be coming my way that I purchased only to be told the next day or two that my money was being refunded and they were going to sell it elsewhere.
TechnoBabe would like you to read ..Roy Rogers and Trigger
PN is adorable!!!
Oh my!! the velociraptors are soooo scary!!! LOL!! They really do scare everytime I watch Jurassic park or something!
Maggie would like you to read ..Education starts at home
I LOVE that backpack and lunch box! So cool! Good luck!
Happy Tuesday!
The geodes are pretty darn cool as is that crazy colored moth. I’ve never seen anything like it.
We have a few Robert Sabuda books but I didn’t know there was a dino version!
blueviolet would like you to read ..Do You Mom Like Your Mom Mommed
Sounds like you have a future geologist on your hands. Thanks for stopping by my blog!
So disappointing that the book arrived in such poor condition. I hope you get your money back.
The geodes are very cool, but the moth is stunning. We get oleander moths in our front yard, they’re black and have a wasp like appearance, my son loves catching them. I’m pretty sure he and PN would have a lot to talk about.
Velociraptors can totally eat princesses for lunch.
Mrsbear would like you to read ..I Know These Things Are True and Random Tuesday Thoughts
My daughter was about seven or eight when she finally gave up on the princesses and pinkness. I don’t miss it at all. Geodes are great. My kids collect rocks and geodes. Hoping to take them cave exploring next year.
Christina would like you to read ..RANDOM TUESDAY BRAIN PUREE
Wow that moth is amazing! The folks that shipped that book should be ashamed I hope you’re contacting them they own you a decent book that looks terribly cute BTW. Loved the Geodes I was a pebble puppy as a child (a junior Rock hound a group part of the gem and mineral association) and always had fun rock hunting!
The backpack and lunch box are so cool! My daughter goes back to school in about 3 weeks, and has already started her wish list with me too!
Love the geodes, I have never seen those make sure you show us when you get them polished!!
LT would like you to read ..A Day For Quotes Housework
Save the geodes!!! Is my new battle cry.
(And the moth. That thing is COOL.)
Oh Yikes … that moth is going to haunt my nightmares.
And that stinks about the lousy sellers who send damaged goods and renege on theirs sales. Boooooo!!!
Love the geodes … and the backpack /lunchbox. We’re going Toy Story this year!
Jenners would like you to read ..Random Thoughts During My Vacation
Cool backpacks… good luck.
Love the geodes!
Martha would like you to read ..Random Tuesday Thoughts
Hi,
Just saw your posting about the scenic overlook followed by the moth. The moth is a regal moth. It is harmless.