I Want To Be a Homemaker: Diamonds are a girls best friend

While the crew was working nights Maria and I decided to take the kids and fly to Istanbul, Turkey for a couple days. After flipping through a guide book I was sold that it would be a crime to visit Turkey and not see Istanbul.

So, so glad we did!!!

We spent the first day at Topkapi Palace which was the primary residence for Ottoman Sultans for over 400 years. The property over looks the sea and is breathtaking.

Harlow and I standing at the entrance, yes I was embracing the culture.

Look at all these beautiful dogs guarding the palace. Ohhh I wanted that white one on the right but he was too cool for me!

View of the Sea.

Topkapi Palace is now a museum and the first I've ever been to where my mouth was open "ooooohhhhhing, ahhhhhhhhing and wooooowwing" the entire time. Seriously! The palace houses the largest collection of jewels I've ever laid eyes on. The Ottoman treasures were covered in rubies, diamonds, emeralds and pearls.

I love this, so pretty

This giant bed is where the Sultan was presented to guests. I could just imagine him in his silk robes sitting there, maybe he'd be eating grapes?

Fountain

Harlow

Remember those jewels I was talking about in the museum earlier? Well ever seen an 86 karat diamond before? I have and it was mind blowing!!! They won't let you take photos but I found some online, it's surrounded by 49 large diamonds. It's referred to as the Spoonmaker Diamond because legend is the guy that found it thought to was a piece of glass and sold it for 3 spoons. Honestly I could have stood there all day and starred at it. Glorious!!

All the jewelry was stunning most of the precious gems were uncut and mounted that way which made each piece so interesting. They had a glass box filled to rim with uncut green emeralds, if only they'd let me have just one?

Across the street from the Palace was the Blue Mosque which is just incredible, so much so that every time I laid eyes on it I was compelled to take another picture.