What we've been up to

 I've not  been so post-y lately! Part of this is due to the recent collapse of our computer, or rather, its ability to read the external hard drive. We're not sure how much if any of our pictures and other documents may be salvageable, or what we're going to do about it if they're not. One problem at a time. In the meantime, I've been using my work computer, but this cannot be a long-term strategy. Is this the sort of thing people pray about? is there a patron saint of computer storage?

We have been enjoying another happy Blacksburg March. I often tell folks that March is the only month of the year I am SOLIDLY happy to be away from Rochester (sorry, guys) because March up there is usually just a repeat of February.

Here in SW Virginia, we've enjoyed many days of sunshine and 50-some degree temperatures, mixed in with more than usual days of snow, ice and sleet.

So what have we been up to... Last Monday I took a day off work during Spring Break Week to pay another visit to the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke.

 I still love tiny towns.

 They loved gazing at the little scenes too.

 ...Though they were over it more quickly than in our last visit.

Miles enjoyed the dress-up opportunities even more this time.

Cooperating on a puzzle

Pretending to be in flight on a small aircraft. 

It was funny to see this cable car bound for Glen Echo, an old amusement park outside DC that Jon and I have enjoyed many times. 

 They're still delighted by the creative playground.

 And, I think, they had even more fun on the train yard.

Pretending to eat in the caboose.

Adele saw a stuffed Dalmatian in the window and demanded a pic with her own Spot in front.

Adele poses.

If you're tickled by comparison pictures as I am, take a look at our visit last year (February 2013) where Adele plays with this same toy, Miles wears the same costume as above, etc. Of course, Adele's changed more; she's grown a head of hair, to start!

 She also speaks in sentences, which doesn't show in photos. Neither does Miles' astounding reading progress show on pictures, but I can tell you it's a relief and a delight to watch him read books aloud to his sister.

 Jon went to Raleigh and felt himself fairly successful at his Jeopardy audition last Friday! We shall see if he is selected and gains the opportunity to tell the story of Adele's birth by car on television.

I took the kids about on stroller that day, since he had the car. We paid an enjoyable, sunny visit to the playground, during which Miles impressed me by walking boldly up to a little girl there and saying, "Hi. My name is Miles. What's your name?" I do hope he can keep that confidence into his teens.

 Adele having informed me it was Spot's birthday, we had nothing to do but to throw him a birthday tea party!

 The birthday dalmatian, Adele informs us, is three now. For his birthday, that night, I opened up one of his seams and gave him some more stuffing. He gets about a bath every week lately, as he goes almost everywhere with his loving toddler.

 If you know Adele, you know about her undying love for Spot. She has loved him since they first locked eyes in the Ikea and he's been her #1 ever since. He is not the most well made stuffed animal she has owned, but we all know that children see things adults can't. Spot is well on his way to becoming Real, if you catch the reference.

 Happy Birthday, Spot!!

 The tea party and brownies ended with a stuffed-animal dance party in the living room before bed.

And, to conclude, here are a couple of parting shots I got of the kids, celebrating Saint Paddy's at home today since their daycare is, once again, closed due to weather!

 If I can manage it, I'll get this videos of the kids celebrating Spot's birthday working soon. It was a treat to make much of this occasion, as I remember so clearly my parents doing for me and my beloved toy when I was around Adele's age. Whenever possible, one likes to take their ideas seriously.

An Indoor Ocean

I don't have to tell any of you it's been a long winter.

I understood the intensity of our desire for some color and light by the delight this reflection rainbow caused.

We never did find out what ephemeral situation was causing it. Miles just wanted to capture it.

"It's my pet rainbow!"

So, our brother/in-law Tim, and sister-in-law Corey in Maryland enjoy connections through their jobs that sometimes get them Tickets to things. Tim works at the Maryland Zoo, and volunteers at the National Aquarium, and Corey was able to get us tickets to the Aquarium for this past weekend. We had to jump at the chance to take the kids to this amazing facility. It's a pretty pricy experience, so it might have been a while before we got there without this opportunity.

Away we went on Friday, the last day in February! Finally!

The kids were pumped to wear their new sunglasses on that sunny drive.

It was a lovely evening, actually. All drives should be so smooth. Kids slept after dinner and didn't awaken until we arrived.

Early Saturday morning found us making the brief drive into Baltimore!

(Famous Pickles Pub. Apparently. Across from the Sports)

                                      

It's a beautiful city, and I always forget that since we're always roosting in Annapolis and visiting DC.

Inner Harbor

More Inner Harbor

Right by the entrance of the aquarium, visible from the outside: A huge waterfall.

Gorgeous views of the Inner Harbor could be found around every turn. 

Posing with the crocodile. 

Adele was mesmerized:

I loved the reflections here...

There were a lot of beautiful touches around the aquarium, between and among exhibits, like these bubble tubes:

There's is this one pool/ reef area and as you climb, you get a larger and larger view of it: 

Oh Miles... In front of the whale skeleton. 

Probably my favorite part of the day was the slow walk around and around the inside of this massive multi-floor tank containing sharks, a sea turtle, and tons of other species I couldn't begin to name. But it was a chance for the kids not to be hurried and to just gaze at fish and talk to and about them. 

What I didn't mention was that we were able to meet up with a college friend of ours, another Tim :-) and his son, Ben, 7 months older than Miles. Theirs was one of the first visits from friends that Miles received when he came home from the hospital. But Miles was able to advise his older friend on being a big brother to a sister! Tim and Karen are expecting a daughter in a couple of months. Actually, all Miles did was to confide that he liked being a big brother, and that "you can play" with a sister. Not terribly profound, but sincere.  

The octopus was feeling shy. 

The eel wasn't. 

This fish is apparently nicknamed Lady Gaga, for her love of the camera. 

I recommend the puffin exhibit! 

So, at the top of the aquarium there is a rainforest. Complete with real foliage, monkies, birds, and 85+ degree temperatures. I was, sadly, too busy trying to keep the kids from getting lost, falling down stairs, etc, and also trying not to pass out from the heat (I was a bit dehydrated), to take many pictures. :-) But I did manage to snatch this one of the sloth at the top:

This was Miles' favorite part; he came back for seconds. Adele (who was beginning to develop a fever) and I stuck to the bottom of the forest the second trip.

What did I tell you about the views of the Harbor??!

Family shots. Kinda lack dignity, but they're very true-to-life.

3-flippered sea turtle. So very loveable. 

Oh yes, and there was a huge dolphin exhibit! We opted to do some freelance observing and not stay for much of the Show. Our kids were getting antsy.

Still, they were delighted to be ThisClose to real dolphins!

I thoroughly recommend the National Aquarium to anyone, with or without kids. It's beautiful, educational and refreshing, particularly in winter. I imagine it'd be a relief from the heat of summer, too, but the contrast was greater on this, the first day of March, the day before Annapolis got about six inches of snow....

We have a little collection of marine animals we bought to use for bath toys. The kids love that they recognize the various sharks and whales from their trip to the aquarium. The Sting Ray is their favorite. Bathtime has become even more innovative since Saturday :-)

Lent tomorrow. Spring Break next week. It hardly seems possible.