My kids will never be able to say we don’t do fun and crazy things. In fact, I am always asking them if they will always remember me as being a fun and crazy mom that made them laugh all the time. Case in point… a couple of weeks ago, in a dreary, rainy, cold day we went to the local fish farm and petted a sturgeon and fed rainbow trout.
Down the road from our house is a fish farm that raises rainbow trout and produces products using the fish they raise, as well as selling local craft beers and all types of decor and fish pond supplies. We have driven by it several times and always say “we should go in there some time.” Coming home from school a few Fridays ago, we stopped to check it out.
Out back of the store area, is a huge pole barn that has various types of animals and fish (mostly) native to Ohio. Beside the pole barn are these huge pools where the trout live. When you feed them, the trout jump up and splash you. (I know, mommy of the year award right there… cold water, cold weather…)
You can kinda see them in the picture above where they are jumping/fighting for the “tasty” (and smelly) pellets we were feeding them.
Once I convinced the kids and Nana that we needed to thaw out, we went into the pole barn to see the different fish and other things they had on display. We got to see a large turtle.
As well as an alligator… or crocodile… not sure which. (Its because I didn’t pay attention… I was too creeped out about the fact that it was only behind a thin mesh screen.)
The coolest part (well, at least to me) was getting to pet a sturgeon. A sturgeon is a friendly fish that almost acts like a puppy… they will stick their heads out of the water so you can pet them and will jostle each other trying to get the attention of whomever is doing the petting. I petted a couple. Mo just played in the cold water (yes, definitely mommy of the year worthy) and Bo wanted nothing to do with either them or the water.
One of the delicacies the farm sells is smoked trout foods. When you stop in, they give you samples and Miss Mo tried (and loved) the smoked trout mousse. So much so, she asked me to buy a container. A SMALL container. Very expensive. Obviously, Mo is going to have expensive tastes… of course, her mommy was cracking her own crab legs at her age, but I digress…
I am waiting for her to put two and two together and realize we are eating the trout she fed out back.
Good for you, being all spontaneous and fun! They will remember. My kids are old enough now that their childhood actually is a memory. I often hear them telling their little brothers about their lives as little kids.
Part of why I do things the way I do is because from the beginning, when our oldest was a baby, I looked ahead and asked myself,”when they are adults, talking about their childhood, what do I want them to say?” Keep doing those fun things!
that day was certainly a experience I have never done…..feeding fish that would jump up at you for food and as Bo put it “a zillion ” fish in the tank…..but when their mother lifted the lid to pet the sturgions I knew I raised her better than that….she is so adventurious….but when Bo said no way i was with him in walking away! it is so much fun being a grandmother on these trips to the unknown cause I dont have to worry about germs I just have to watch and enjoy!!!