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. 

What Pax Wrought

 It began on Wednesday afternoon.

I'd been hearing reports of potentially record-breaking amounts of snow for days, but as is my wont, I dismissed them. For one thing, I've found weather-reporters are obliged to speak in worst-case scenarios to cover their butts. For another, it seems the more a storm is discussed, the less likely it is to close anything (except the public schools around here, which close for anything that resembles winter).

When it began, it was a gentle, meek little snowglobe experience.


This is how it looked by evening:

 We already knew the county schools were closed, the daycare was closed, and Virginia Tech was planning a delayed opening. We went to bed in the comfort of that long rest we'd have, and in the peace of a really heavy snow, the peace that quietens and slows the world.

 In the morning, we were getting our winter gear on for a bit of a snow frolic when we got word: Virginia Tech was cancelling classes, for only (according to Jon) the 9th snow day in their history. Needless to say, it's the first snow day I've experienced since moving here in 2010. Needless to say, we whooped and hollered and celebrated a fair amount!

Adele wants to know what happened to her sidewalk. 

 We started with just a wander and a marvel....

 ...and moved on to sledding! I got to use the sled again, everyone!!

 This snowstorm shall be remembered as the first time Adele ever ASKED to go sledding. She now actively likes snow-based pursuits, not merely tolerating them with big eyes as in the past.

 Our first successful run after Adele asked to go:

And, once again with Papa!:

Miles had a bit of trouble keeping his balance, sometimes. 

We left the sled at home and took a walk to Kroger. I still had it in my head that Adele might have daycare the next day (I know, I know. The denial is strong in me) and would need her Valentines. Plus, Jon had some food ambitions. Bless Jon and his food ambitions. 

So on the way to Kroger,

We watched mail trucks out and about. Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stayed these couriers. We watched the driver of this one help someone get their car out. 

This is one of two people we saw on skis, travelling much more efficiently than anyone else that day! 

If you can't tell, the snow was still falling at a great rate. This was mid-day. 

What's to love about snow? 

...I mean, just look at it!

He could walk in it-- barely. 

Friday surprised us by being Virginia Tech's 10th snow day in history! 

We enjoyed another great mix of outdoor play and indoor coziness. There was hot chocolate complete with tiny marshmallows. The kids watched Bambi. We lingered over meals. Joy. 

This was very high quality snow for building.

 We made this snow man with almost no effort at all. Just push the snow; it rolled itself up into balls.

Inside, I got to do something I don't usually get to experience with my kids: holiday themed crafts. 

They just did some free expression on cardboard hearts, but still. Usually they'd be doing this at daycare. I was so pleased for the chance to be with them for a four day weekend in the middle of the semester. 

Notice the Tongue of Concentration

And then it was Saturday. We took a ride. partly because we needed to get the car out anyway... 

 Partly to see the town and the campus with more snow than we've ever seen on it...

There was an impressive amount of completed and in-progress snow constructions on campus. 

 ...And partly to attempt a sled on the Big Hill, near our old house. Alas. the wind was powerful and strong and the kids didn't make it five minutes. Miles was sobbing "This was terrible" and Adele was just howling. I wasn't going to insist. Jon put them back in the car while I indulged in a couple of runs down the Big Hill. It wasn't bad, once you got going! But running up twice in the cold wind was not the wisest of moves. I had to take a long breather to get my lungs working again.

 Still. Beauty. My hopes for winter have been thoroughly answered.

 And we didn't even lose power!

 And now I am back at work, back in classes, back to my books. But rested, and grateful.