The National Aquarium

We've lived in Abingdon for 3 years and today was our first trip to the National Aquarium in Baltimore.  I was excited to go to the aquarium, but more excited about who we were meeting.  My friend Michele lives in Puerto Rico.  Her husband has a class in DC so Michele and their twins tagged along.  The last time we saw them was when Dan and I had a lay-over on our trip to St. Lucia 2 years ago.

We had the best time today.  Libby and Clara are just a few months older than Caden.  They were a little shy at first, but it didn't take long for the kids to warm up to each other.

Caden, Libby, Clara, Jaelyn and Allie

 

Standing in a prehistoric shark jaw...can you imagine???

We left the aquarium to have lunch at Panera.  Scott, Michele, Dan and I sat at a 4-top table in the corner.  We put our 5 kids at a long table in the middle.  We couldn't decide if this couple minded that they were there or not!  It was quite funny that we did what we did, but it might have been one of those you had to be there things to laugh.

There was a little fuss when getting dressed today, but in the end, the kids all wore their new tie dyed shirts and it was much easier to keep track of them.

New friends are the bestest - Libby, Jaelyn and Clara

The dolphin show wasn't too exciting, but coming face to face with the dolphins in the underwater viewing area was! (Jaelyn, Caden, Clara, Allie and Libby)

Time to say good-bye - after a very fun day, we had to go our separate ways.  I'm not sure Caden is loving Libby's heart felt hug.

My favorite part of the day was walking with all the kids back to the aquarium.  We played a game that the kids and I play where we all hold hands and I pull them past me and then they stop and pull me past them.  Then I pull them, then they pull me and on and on and on.  It's lots of fun and was even more fun with 5 kids.  I think Michele took a picture...I'll share it if she shares it with me.  Jaelyn's favorite part of the day was getting to see different types of animals.  Her favorite animals were the birds in the rain forest.  Caden's favorite part was seeing the dolphin show.  The animal demonstrations were Allie's #1 pick.  We saw an owl from Australia, a python and a lizard.

My only regret of the day is that our friends left without a group picture or a picture with me, Michele and the kids.  We'll have to try again in another couple of years :p.