Family Vacation 2016, Part 5: Sand Dunes & the Aquarium

We're coming down to the final days of our vacation. Saturday after the family photos we had Abigail's birthday party and hung around a little. BJ was meeting Jacob for the first time, so I had to get a photo.

Elena and Jacob mostly enjoyed playing together.

After church Sunday, we went to Kitty Hawk Kites store and decided, reluctantly (at least the adults were reluctant-- the kids were eager) to climb a little way up Jockey's Ridge. The sun was setting, which made for some cool photos. The kids loved running around the dunes and didn't once complain of being tired. They made sand angels. They pretended to be movie stars. Even Jacob enjoyed laying in the giant sandbox. And we were glad we went.

Monday we headed to the NC Aquarium. (Add more science to our school lessons on vacation!) We have been to this Aquarium when each of our kids was small, I think. They have improved it a lot since the last time we went, but the older kids remembered the giant tank with the sharks and they were so excited.

I can't remember what we're learning about here, but there sure was a lot of educational opportunities. We even incorporated some of the things we learned in science at home about ecology and what animals live where and how they work together in their environment.

They were a little hesitant to touch the manta rays in the touch tank.

Jacob was happy as long as he could crawl around. He kept saying "wow, wow" at the big tanks.

Andrew's favorite part by far was the Turtle Rescue Center. They got to take a pretend turtle, diagnose it's disease and then watch a video about how to help it get better. They were able to give it medicine or whatever it needed, and then release it again into the wild. They wanted to do it over and over.

It was another nice day, so we spent some time walking around outside. Jacob of course loved digging for shark's teeth.

There was a little trail with different exercises and activities to try, like climbing on a fallen tree or crawling through tunnels, or over bridges. (Add P.E. to our school subjects covered!)

And after the aquarium, we enjoyed our last night with Mom & Dad. These two have a sort of love/ hate relationship that is interesting to see develop. They love each other as long as they are being nice and gentle. But sometimes they aren't too sure what "gentle" really means.