So, there were about 7000 models showing Hurricane Joaquin making landfall, and only 1 showing it being pulled East, out to sea. And that ONE was correct. We woke up Saturday to the sun shining in the windows, no rain, no wind - it was nice! Since it had been raining for a solid week beforehand, football had already been cancelled because of the muddy fields...so we had a free day! Brian had to go into work, and I decided to surprise the kids with something we've never done before - The Aquarium.
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I loved this room, with water on all sides/above you! It's really cool! |
We were given a 1 year membership to the Aquarium recently (Wow and yay!, so grateful), but I hadn't told the kids that yet. It seemed like the perfect day to check it out!
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It was a dark room, but that is a huuuuge alligator. Grey loved him |
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Shark tank! |
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Shark bait:-) |
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They had a pool full of sting rays where you could put your hand/arm in and pet them. I naturally did not do this, but the kids did. I think only Brooks claims to have touched a bit of one. They didn't seem to want to come too close to us this time. |
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There's a person! |
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It's kind of like a "limited zoo", with marine life, lizards, turtles, birds and frogs and such. Unfortunately nothing cute or adorable |
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Chesapeake Bay |
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We climbed the lookout tower, and saw a heron |
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The lookout tower presented me with two of my biggest fears: Stairs without "backs" and see-thru stairs. |
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I couldn't not look down, yet was very dizzy, and definitely clinging to that railing pretty good. It was a lot of stairs! Going up is no problem, it's the coming down that's terrifying |
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They have an adventure park "in the sky", where you tie onto the ropes course and have all kinds of fun. It's an additional cost, and the kids seem a little young for it at this point, but it looks awesome for the future! |
Grey loved the Aquarium best of all, and declared "I will never get bored or tired of this place!"
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Grey, taking a River Otter for a "walk". It followed him as he walked back and forth across the glass. |
On the way to the Aquarium, we drove through bits of town we really never go past - and found something great. I had no idea that there was a Steak and Shake here!! I treated the kids on the way home. I hadn't been to one since my Chicago days (in the 90's!)
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This kid has a very acute 'dominion sensor' - he gets this from his Daddy. He also can put on a mood - he gets that from his Mom;-) I "accidentally" reached over and ate some of his food (that he really had no intention of eating until I touched it). Then suddenly he was unable to eat it because I "scribbed it up" and it wasn't *exactly* as it had been. He sat there for a few seconds with his sad face on, refusing to look at me, and a french fry hanging out of his mouth, "unable" to chew it, in protest. I gave him about 3 seconds to make a better decision, meanwhile continuing to eat his fries (HAHAHA!). He chose to make a wise decision and change his attitude, and voluntarily gave his family the rest of his untouched food, because it really was too much for him:-) Parenting challenges never cease. And naturally I snapped a picture, like all good moms;-)
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And about the Hurricane - so grateful it didn't hit us. Because of all the other rain we've been getting, it really would have been a disaster. Half of Norfolk is under water in high tide, and schools have been cancelled. The flooding is really bad. Adding more rain and wind to that would have really done a lot of damage, so we're glad it didn't hit land!