A Trip to the Aquarium...in pictures

The kids were off school today for some teacher inservice stuff I think so I decided it would be fun if I took the kids to the aquarium. YAY for fun ideas! I figured it had been awhile since I took the kids ANYWHERE and before long it would be more of a task to get done...why not today!

So OFF to Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium it was!

I entered the address in my trusty, never faileth me, 10 yr Anniversary gift, iPhone and our path was set! Easy enough...you're the BLUE dot, follow the purple line to the RED dot.

SIMPLE.

So it tells me to head South to Wilmington. We of course pass the famous fence with all the welcome home signs on our way out. Always a good read. Some are so heartfelt, some so "unique". But ALWAYS a good read.

Everyone was getting hungry so we stopped for some food at nasty Hardees because...
That's all there is.
And funny enough, I had a strong feeling I needed to check my directions.
Keep in mind we've been traveling for at least 40 minutes in this direction. We should be just about there!
I re-entered my destination address and to my surprise...
My trusty iPhone had failed me.
THIS time it points me going NORTH.
WHAT?
Ugh. Dangit. I've just been driving for 40 minutes in the wrong direction.
NOW, keep in mind that I could have continued this direction for another 45-1 hour and found ANOTHER aquarium, but we had our hearts set on Pine Knoll Shores.
So what do we do?

We turn around.

40 MORE minutes to get back to our starting position.

Thank you iPhone.

BACK passed the fence of signs.

Now THERE'S a good one.

Told you it's always a good read.

Once we hit our original starting point, we still had about an hour to go and everyone was restless, especially Penny.

So we stop for 4 of these to keep our spirits up.

3 chocolate, 1 vanilla.

By now the kids are doubting that we're really going ANYWHERE.

Although the ride was long it was fun. There was lots to look at, great beachy scenery and fun stores to drool over and wish I could go into. As much as I wanted to pull over every 10 minutes and leave my kids in a hot car so I could shop...I refrained. Nothing worse than melty kids.

What was GREAT was that you guys never told me so many of you are famous! I saw SOOO many places named after my lovely bloggers.

Paddy's Pub

Melissa, don't you think he's a bit juvenile to already have a pub named after him?

Amber and her clan were super famous that day. Not one, but TWO places named after her family.

Willis Seafood

And then my favorite,

Cap'n Willis Seafood Market

Okay, first of all what's with all the seafood? Or do I WANT to know?

Second, so Matt got promoted? TWICE? And you never told me??

And this is gonna blow you away! They even had a hotel named after Gia.

Clam Digger Inn

The nicest surprise in the whole vacation world? I don't think I like surprises.

After almost TWO HOURS of enjoyable scenic driving, we FINALLY get to the aquarium!

We did all the normal stuff. Forgive me Hee-Dee-Ous pictures. If you don't like them, my birthday is in a couple weeks and you can send me a new coolpix camera.

Thanks.

Kora wanted a picture with her head in the jaws of an alligator.

Funny how I usually feel like putting her head in MY jaws on most of her PMS days.

They had some MEGA HUGE sand tiger sharks and we got there 5 minutes before the divers got in the tank with them. It was awesome! The kids were totally crazy about this one!

We got to "pet" as Kora put it, the Horseshoe Crab.

And we while at an exhibit, this one fish fell in love with Kora and wouldn't leave the glass for a minute. It just kept staring at her.

Miah's favorite were the albino bullfrogs. He said they were "peach" like me. Thanks Miah. I know I'm pale and pasty but ALBINO?

Penny loved the turtles and kept his hand on the glass the whole time we watched them dive and swim and sunbathe. He was in love.

Before we left I made the kids do all the typical poses.

One on the turtle that was seriously hot from the sun and even after putting my sweater on it for Penny to sit, he kept saying, "Ha, Ha" because his thighs were melting.

And then of course the "stand inside the jaws and make a scary face!!" picture.

Why do mother's do this crap? How annoying am I?

The top TWO favorites of the day were "petting" the stingrays. Kora didn't wanna leave this one. She was scared to death at first and then after she got comfortable I couldn't peel her away from them.

AND

Digging for money in the fish display out front.

NO, I AM white trash, but not white trash enough to let me kids KEEP the money. Don't worry. They threw it back in.

But not Penny. He just ate it.

Once we were done I knew the ride home would be tough so I stopped at a gas station to get cold "DRANKS" for all of us. Mmmmm Orange Sunkist!!

And then a yummy snack to go with it.

Corn Nuts.

Okay maybe I AM that white trash.

The day turned out SUPREME! GRAND supreme (I learned that from Toddlers and Tiaras). As much as I contemplated just calling it a day once we found out we had gone the wrong direction, I'm glad I didn't.

The kids all came home with a prize to fit their personalities.

Shark teeth for Jake and a shark tooth postcard to study.

A Sting Ray stuffed animal for Kora since she loved them SO much.

She named this one "Rose Mary Totter".

Yea...I don't know...

And binoculars for the little Explorer Miah.

With his one creepy glove.

As usual.

Tomorrow it's back to school to finish the week off but I'm sure they'll ALL have fun stories to tell their teachers thanks to our super fly day!