We can pack an obscene amount of people into Nana and Pop's van when we're driving a mile to the ocean. For real roads and more than 25 mph, we split up into two vans. I found myself wedged between B and Shane's car seats and in need of a selfie. Shane didn't want to play along.
B was game. Shane was game enough to get a hand in (from flailing at my phone!).
ADHD moment: The arm rest between Jama and Ed looks like a goofy face.
Today was our first non-beach adventure. We all went to the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center.
The kids all ran around in a lizards and dragons exhibit while we checked in and got wheelchairs for Jama and Ed.
Ka, Stu, and Nana focused on kids.
Pop and I pushed wheelchairs.
It was okay trying to keep up with the pack in the beginning. The kids were all super excited and roaming about.
Being behind helped me take a few good pictures. Shane was the first to crawl in for a closer look at at a komodo dragon.
Then the others packed in!
But eventually, it was hard for Pop, Jama, Ed, and I to keep up. The museum was crowded and the hallways were narrow. We focused on enjoying the sights and moving our way forward.
It was "wear them if you've got them" tie-dye day. I forgot/lost Shane's.
The wonder hit the kids right away. Shane and Cole ran from exhibit to exhibit.
Shane would have climbed in to one if I hadn't of stopped him.
Stu and I were in pursuit until the slowed down.
That was around the albino alligator.
The boys stood still long enough the rest of the family started to catch up.
ADHD moment: Someone left their walky-talky out and unattended. I was sorely tempted to play with it.
It helped Shane tore off to look at turtles.
Gotta catch them all.
Ryan's horseshoe crab book was well-timed.
There were stingrays and whelks, too. I couldn't help but think of the touch pool in Finding Dory.
Matt may have found a Pokemon.
I thought the underside of the horseshoe crabs was fascinating.
Cole and Evelyn weren't as interested in grabbing everything they could like Shane was.
They weren't far away, though.
Taking pictures is an important mini-game/sidequest while keeping track of all the kids.
Everyone eventually broke up and wandered around at our own paces. We reformed on occasion and stuck the same general areas.
Jama, Shane, Nana, and I all watched the divers together.
Shane and Jama asked a lot of questions!
He couldn't sit still as long as her, though.
There were lots of cool things to look at.
We found Nemo. Dory, too.
Shane got to touch a shark. It wasn't Bruce.
Then we left the wonderful world of air-conditioning for the sweltering outside.
Dinosaurs made it worthwhile.
Cole ran up to Shane. "Shane! There's a dinosaur that spits this way! Come with me!"
I don't know why there was an animatronic dinosaur exhibit at an aquarium, but it was.
And it was awesome.
We went through it twice.
Cole, thrice.
I thought the excavation table would have been a bigger hit. Shane stayed there for all of 5 seconds before he ran off. Cole followed.
Oh, look. Something hurricane related. Somehow we always find storm stuff when Shane's around.
It's a gift.
We found a hurricane simulator earlier in the day. Kevin tried it first.
I stopped filming two seconds short of the funniest thing all day. If you know Kevin, you know his hair. The hurricane simulator negated it. He walked out with a bowl cut to a chorus of laughs. Then, with one swipe of his hand, he was made new!
There was a riot. I probably wouldn't have been able to keep filming anyway, because I was bowed over with laughter.
Shane, Cole, and I tried it next!
I hammed it up, a little. It's more fun that way. Cole tried to open the door. I don't know if he was trying to escape or not, but I didn't let him!
