candy

The other day, Charlotte and I tried to go to our little local museum, the Morris Graves Museum, but it was closed. I promised we'd go on Thursday and maybe we'd hit up the chocolate store and go downtown, too. 

Well, we went today, Thursday, at 2p.m. after picking up our couch cushions which I just got new foam for. I found a parking spot right up front. The big open sign was out front beckoning us. I got out of the car and opened Charlotte's door... She was asleep? Maybe she was playing a joke?! Sometimes she does that... no, I picked up her dangling arm and it fell -a veritable floppy arm. Julia kicked and squealed, excited to get out and play but Charlotte lay there listless. Hmm.  

I drove home.

I left her in her car seat because these days she just doesn't transfer from car seat to bed very well, and Julia and I went in to check out how our new couch cushions feel on the couch. Ahhh, no more futon couch. We've got a real couch, folks. It's a 10 year old leather couch we found on Craigslist -in excellent condition except for the old, squishy seat bottoms -but now, with the new foam, it's fantastic! 

Charlotte woke up about 40 minutes later. I asked her if she still wanted to go to the museum and she nodded yes. Off we went!  Parked in front of the museum, we reviewed some museums manners and in we went. She was really cute -whispering and admiring the art. She really like the sculptures by David Groth and even made sure to grab one of his postcards. Julia, I should mentioned, had fun too -she kept giving me raspberries on my chest while hanging out in the ergo (front pack). 

Ok, so here's the really exciting part. Charlotte really hasn't had much candy in her life, excluding chocolate. She knows she likes Dum Dums (thanks to Halloween) and she's had some jelly beans, thanks to grandma. After the museum, we walked one block over to Partrick's candy store. I'd only been there once, ten years ago.  We entered and Charlotte's eyes were as big as saucers. I sensed that she noticed the lollipops first, and later, when we got in the car, she did say, "Mom, did you see how big those lollipops are? Next time, we're getting one of those!" I told the owner it was her first time in a candy store, so he brought out a chocolate bar as big as her for her to hold (which she couldn't). 

Partrick's makes all their own candy -homemade marshmallows, jellies, caramels, brittle, and even their own salt water taffy. Candy isn't really my thing, but I am a proponent of all things homemade and local so decided to pick out a few things for my sweet Steve who happens to like candy -tart things especially and I did get a couple caramels for myself. Charlotte picked out a chocolate covered marshmallow and a cotlet (apricot jelly)...