Creative Discovery Museum: Things I Love Thursday

Libbie and I moved to Chattanooga in January with an aquarium membership fresh in our pockets. I assumed she and I would go there quite a bit. But I also wanted to check out the children's museum--the Creative Discovery Museum. 

We quickly fell in love! While Libbie is still too young to appreciate much of what's going on there, it's a great place for her to just run around, play, touch, and explore. As she's grown she's become more and more fond of the music section and the art section, too. I hope we'll keep our membership at the museum for many years to come!

Yesterday we took our first family trip to the museum--Mr. V had never been. Here's some photographic evidence of the journey.

Libbie colored and played with clay in the art room …

Dug for dinosaur bones with Daddy …

Explored different kinds of rocks …

And played many drums as well as this old Nickelodeon piano!

The Creative Discovery Museum is very reasonable for a year's membership ... and is a place I truly love!

For more Things I Love Thursday, visit Jill at The Diaper Diaries.

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The Best Barbecue Around

Mr. V and I are on a search for the best barbecue in Chattanooga. If you have a suggestion, please, do tell! We tried Rib & Loin, which I liked but was not tongue-wagging crazy about. (Oh Jim 'n Nicks, we miss you already.)

While we search, we'll be eating this pork barbecue I adapted from Cooking Light for the crockpot. It's a little spicy, so adjust the amount of cayenne to your taste.

Pulled Pork with Lexington Red Sauce
8-10 servings


Pork:
2 T turbinado sugar or sucanat
2 T coarsely ground black pepper
2 T paprika
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground red pepper (cayenne)
1 5-lb bone-in pork shoulder (Boston butt roast) [I can never find a bone-in, but that's OK]
1 c. cider vinegar
1/4 c. water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp olive oil or butter

Mix together sugar, pepper, paprika, salt, and cayenne. Set aside 2 T. Rub remainder into pork. Refrigerate overnight if possible.

In a small saucepan, combine vinegar, water, salt, oil, and 2 T of rub you set aside. Heat until sugar is dissolved.

Place the roast in a large slow cooker. Pour sauce over it and let cook on low 8-10 hours. Shred meat with two forks.

Sauce:
1 c. cider vinegar
1/3 c. ketchup
1/4 c. water
2 tsp. sweetener of choice (turbinado sugar, sucanat, maple syrup, etc.)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

Bring all ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan. Let boil until reduced to 1 1/4 cups--about 5 minutes. Serve over pork.


Photo used with permission of the Flickr Creative Commons License from user Southern Foodways Alliance

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Home is Where ...?

I drove back to Nashville from Chattanooga for the last time today.

Well, not the REAL last time, of course. In fact, in less than a week I'm coming back to fly out of BNA and visit my parents. And then a few weeks later, I'll be back for Blissdom!

But we're moving on Tuesday. So this was the last time I'd make the drive back to our home here and have it feel like home. In all honestly, I'm still a little confused on which is home. (Mr. V is as well, and he's been there for five months!)

I drove past what will be "my" grocery store. How will I learn the aisles? What is their coupon policy? Where is the Publix??

I wondered if I would make friends, how on earth I would work (on freelance) this week while moving and unpacking, and about all the friendships in Nashville that are about to receive a big crack down the middle--a 120-mile gap.

But then, I drove down 27 toward 24 and marveled at the gorgeous view, the lovely mountains frosted with snow from this weekend's dusting. I get to see this every day? I get to be at home with my daughter? I get to live in this amazing city, with the huge aquarium, an incredible downtown, and be a mere 2 hours each from Nashville and Atlanta?

I feel blessed. I've always been a girl who prefers the mountains over the beach. I have many happy memories of hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains with my parents and grandparents; staying in cabins with my dad's side of the family; eating apples that were better than any I'd tasted, fresh from the trees; caving in Indiana with our church when I was a young kid.

I don't know whether I'm more excited or scared. It will certainly be an adjustment. But I am so happy to say that it's finally happening!

I've made some adjustments to my About Me page, if you're new to the site and have no idea what I'm talking about or want to get to know me a little better. 


No, our house has not sold yet. I don't want to talk about it. But I do covet your prayers. Please help me convince God it would be GREAT if someone could just swoop in and make us an offer. 

Linked to Your Life, Your Blog.

Coming Home

I am so, so happy I clicked over to the blog Alli-n-Son from Sarah's Your Life, Your Blog carnival this week. The title of Alli's post--about moving from being a work-outside-the-home-mom to a stay-at-home-mom--definitely spoke to me!

So I've been browsing back through some of her posts and read one about her plans for her first day as a stay-at-home-mom. Wow. Now that's something to think about!

I have dreamed about being a SAHM for a long time. Long before Libbie was in my belly, long before Mr. V and I had even talked about marriage, my heart was to be at home with my future children. I am so, so excited that this dream will finally be coming to fruition as soon as we can sell our house and get out of Nashville and to Chattanooga.

The thing is, I don't KNOW Chattanooga! I could probably tell you what I would do for my first day at home in Nashville. Maybe go to the zoo, plan a lunch with Jill, walk around Radnor Lake with Libbie in the Ergo, and take a long and blissful nap. I've always wanted to take my babies to a marionette show or story time at the gorgeous Main Library, hang out with a MOPS group, and go to Wednesday morning Bible study at church.

But, I'm not going to be here, in this city that I know. And really, I don't know much about Chattanooga. I know we live sort of near a mall. We have a sweet little backyard to play in. I know where Target is and of a cute little thrift store. I know I want to get year passes for the aquarium and the children's museum.

For that first day, though? I have no clue. I'd be happy to take any suggestions from those local to Chattanooga!

Really, it doesn't matter. Because I will be home. I am thrilled.

[More stories of life at Your Life, Your Blog, every Monday!]