Hurricanes and Aquariums

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.

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!

It was a dark room, but that is a huuuuge alligator. Grey loved him

Shark tank!

Shark bait:-)

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.

There's a person!

It's kind of like a "limited zoo", with marine life, lizards, turtles, birds and frogs and such. Unfortunately nothing cute or adorable

Chesapeake Bay 

We climbed the lookout tower, and saw a heron

The lookout tower presented me with two of my biggest fears: Stairs without "backs" and see-thru stairs.

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

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!"

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!)

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;-)

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!