This past weekend we were able to go with James' family on the LA Sanitation District Boat tour. I love how educational this experience is (for all of us, not just the kids), and it is free...which is even better!
They provide breakfast. My kids found out they love donuts. The smell of donuts makes me sick. (except for homemade donuts on Halloween, which I happen to love.) Starting the boat tour with that sick feeling is a recipe for disaster. I got sick, James felt queasy, our kids must be future sailors because they did great and loved it!
We go out for a while and spotted dolphins swimming along side the boat. Once we are out the crew throws in the net which drags behind the boat for about 15 minutes. The sanitation district keeps track of animal sampling and the health of the kelp forest to make sure the water is clean. The crane pulls the net of ocean life up and they dump the net into the water tanks so we can learn about what is out there.
The kids favorite seemed to be the giant sea star
We learned about dozens of fish
James holding the sheep crab
James and I loved the octopus. It clings to your hand and is hard to get off!
Maybe Ethan can serve a mission in Japan. He seemed to have no problem with the idea of eating fresh fish. He loved how they opened their mouths.
at the end of the boat tour we were able to throw the fish back in the water (or up in the air for bird food). Brielle and Ethan loved this part!
After James finished his conference we had a few extra days to explore the area a bit further.
We started by heading south into North Carolina. We only had one day to fit a few things in, but now know we want to plan a trip back explore more of the outer banks. It was beautiful!
We went to Kitty Hawk to learn more about airplanes and the invention of flight.
Brielle took her National Parks Passport with her and was able to add quite a few stamps to her book.
We continued down the island to see the Bodie Lighthouse.
And we stopped for some kite flying at Jockey Ridge State Park (the tallest sand dunes in the eastern U.S.)
The next day it was time to start heading back north. For this trip we were able to borrow a car from James' cousin, but she needed it to be brought from Norfolk up to Baltimore. That was a great opportunity for us to fit in some more exploring. We drove across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge (map pictured) and up the Delmarva Peninsula, which again was gorgeous and in need of yet another trip back to visit.
We stopped in Cape Charles to test the onion rings at the recommended local restaurant called the Gingernut pub (they were indeed very yummy.) We walked over to the beach with no intention of getting wet, but Ethan had other plans (see video below). The beach was shallow and perfect for playing, so our 15 minute walk turned into an hour long swim.
We continued on to Assateague Island where the kids got some great hands-on ocean life lessons at the visitors center. Here is Megan showing a horseshoe crab to the kids.
We were able to spot some more of these wild ponies that the island is famous for. These ponies were captive, but we saw some that were wild as well, just a little too far for the camera's zoom!
And we found out that the local creamery makes some excellent ice cream.
We got into Annapolis late Monday night and woke up early Tuesday morning to be on time for a tour of the White House (no cameras allowed inside there!) and a stroll along the mall.
And we were lucky enough to also get tickets to go to the top of the Washington Monument.
We spent a bit of time at the Smithsonian Museums. We were able to get to the American History Museum to see some of the naturalization ceremony. Brielle was excited to see Dorothy's ruby red slippers, and we all enjoyed the downstairs exhibits about the inventions of play (toys) and science! We went on to the Air and Space museum where Ethan was fascinated with all the different kinds of airplanes.
On Wednesday we had a few hours to tour Baltimore. We took the train from the airport to the Inner Harbor.
James and I enjoyed a tour of the Basilica of the Assumption (the oldest cathedral in the U.S.) it was beautiful. It was however, not a very exciting stop for the kids, so we didn't stay for long. We did get to go down into the crypts which was fascinating with dark tunnels and caves for the kids to explore.
And that is the short version. We dropped of Jeannie's car, got to the airport and made it safely home. What a trip!
As I am looking at our pictures I'm realizing why I am still tired after getting home from vacation. We kept ourselves busy!
Here is a glimpse of our week at Virginia Beach:
I took the kids to the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk (using our LA Zoo pass). We went to story time where they read stories about animals and then bring out some animals for the kids to see up close and touch. It was a smaller zoo, so were able to see most everything in about 2 hours, which was good because it was getting HOT!
There are some VERY wild animals in Virginia, you have to watch out!
We also rented a surrey to explore the coast of Virginia Beach and to get some exercise. We found a fabulous park at the end of the board walk, so the kids were able to get out and play too.
We also took Ethan for his first experience at miniature golfing. He almost always got a hole in one. He would run with his ball up to the hole and then bat it in. The kids loved it.
The kids enjoyed running up and down the little sand hills on the beach. Ethan loved to "trip" and fall when he got to the bottom.
James was able to join us in the evenings when his conference sessions were over, the days were hot and the water was warm, so we spent plenty of time on the beach. Our hotel is right behind them in this picture.
James was teaching Brielle how to body surf.
I also took the kids to Colonial Williamsburg. I wanted them to love it, but it was very hot, which made it hard for them to want to walk around. Ethan did enjoy seeing some of the animals. I dragged the kids around to see some of the houses and buildings, but we were all glad to live in a time of air conditioned cars.
Ethan fell in love with boats while on this trip. We went to Harbor Festival in Norfolk and we were able to tour lots of boats and see some great demonstrations from the Navy about their speed boats and helicopter rescues.
Last week for our preschool time we focused on airplanes. Our kids were SO excited about going on a plane trip! They have both flown before, but it has been about a year since doing so, so it was not something that they remembered.
James is in Virginia Beach for a conference all week. They were nice enough to schedule the conference RIGHT on the beach. It is beautiful! James is busy all day every day, but is able to meet us for his lunch and dinner breaks. We enjoy eating at this restaurant because we get to watch the dolphins swim by in the waves.
The kids are enjoying exploring the hotel and playing hide and seek. We have been happy with this hotel being very kid friendly. There is a movie theater, 2 lazy rivers, water slides and kids eat free. Can't beat that!
who wouldn't love swimming?
We are getting a chance to eat lots of different kinds of seafood. The kids are doing great at trying new foods, even ones that look like what we catch at the beach. Ellie took a bite of some crab meat, but Dad had to finish it off. We have been loving that many of the restaurants in the city have free meals for kids. Makes trying new food for them a little less painful for Mom and Dad.
