For Chan's 16th birthday, she wanted to go to the aquarium with Britney and Emily.
That was back in February, between snow, illness, school, various outings and Suzette having her calendar crammed every week, it was yesterday before we could reschedule it.
That was back in February, between snow, illness, school, various outings and Suzette having her calendar crammed every week, it was yesterday before we could reschedule it.
So, we piled into the van early and ran to pick up Emily before Suzette came up with another 'previous engagement' and Brit and headed to Tennessee for the day.
Our first stop was Coolidge Park and the carousel.
The music did not play the first time, so he let them ride again.
After their ride, we walked through the art district to pick out somewhere to have lunch.
There were dances in the sidewalk, just follow the feet.
Horseshoe crab.
Pun Art, Chan was inspired.
Badly proportioned violin player.
Em and Brit prepare to play, Chan waits for her chance to 'accidentally' punch Brit!
After a few more dances, we came to a fork in the road.
Something told us not to stop, so we circled the block and hit Taco Mamacita's for lunch.
Having no real idea how long the meter had left-and it was sprinkling off and on-we made our way back to the park. Via an alley! Okay, a very wide and art filled alley, but an alley nonetheless.
Because we live on the wild side.
Finally in the Aquarium!
I bought a family pass, it's still the cheapest way to go!
Piranha!
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| Vinegaroon |
We could have just come to see the otters and the penguins and Chan would have been happy with the day.
The brook trout exhibit. Tennessee's only native trout.
Some of the types of sunfish.
I think these and piranha are the prettiest freshwater fish.
And tetras, I love those
I think these and piranha are the prettiest freshwater fish.
And tetras, I love those
Alley Gate-a.
Sturgeons in their touch tanks
Emily was having NONE of that touching fish, she sanitized her hands after Chan and Brit were done.
I always feel like this turtle is beaming me thoughts.
Catfish and a sturgeon swim into a bar...
Mossy frog
Snake-necked turtle
These freak Ben OUT.
After leaving the river building, we headed to the ocean building.
Freshwater stingrays are so pretty.
We went through the butterfly area:
Then headed on down to the saltwater fish level. There is the river journey building across the way.
Ben in 2009 and 2014
It's nesting time, all the penguins were busy showing off rock nests and knocking each other over.
After the penguins is the big tank with ALL the sea critters.
It makes my inner monkey jump around to see sharks, so I watched a while.
inner monkey needs some exercise
inner monkey needs some exercise
The jellies are my favorite. Well, the seahorses, too.
Upsidedown jellies seem like they gave up somewhere along the route.
If I ever have a hot air balloon, I want it to look like this jellyfish.
Not this one, that would mean I am crashing.
In the above, you can barely see them, in the below, it looks like I let them loose in a sewer pipe.
Check out Ben below, he has his arms crossed so he does not touch not-sister.
While this is very sweet and just another way of showing how considerate he is, it made me a little sad. I am not sure a year ago, he would have been in that 'realm' of consideration that touching either of the girls would have been any different than touching Chan or Jake in the bubble room.
Loved this one above, a shark swam right over their heads!
Speaking of scary sharks!!
It rained off and on all day, never seriously, but enough to keep the air saturated and a little cool.
We decided to walk around a little more before heading back, everyone was getting hungry.
So we headed to the passage to check that out.
Each symbol had a write-up engraved on the edge of the water to explain what it symbolized,
the kids walked down reading most of them.
See the sprinkles!
The above shot is the only time I thought I was going to have to use the mama voice all day. I really thought they were going to jump on and try to float home!
Spinny stick
Spinny chairs
Emily read us the dramatic explanation behind this sculpture.
Chan summed it up:
Trees Like Water
We hit traffic leaving and I detoured via Lookout Mountain, which was brilliant but left us out of town before we decided where to eat.
So we stopped and got pizza on the way through Scottsburo and went to Goosepond Colony and parked by the lake and ate.
We got the girls back around 8 and headed home ourselves.
I am glad they got to spend some time together. Little did I know it was their last time, I am glad that was not hanging over their heads the whole day.
