National Aquarium in Baltimore

Our annual Homeschool Field Trip to the National Aquarium!

The girls lucked out and public school was closed today, and so they joined us on our field trip too!

(Although, really I would of taken them out of school anyway.)

Madelyn touching jellyfish.

We got to see the fish being fed. 

And the Jellyfish exhibit!

Always one of my favorites! So beautiful!

Madelyn watching the dolphins play.

Touching a sting ray.

It's always a great day of exploring and fun.

We love to see the animals, as well as visit with our homeschool friends!

Camden Yards!

"Mormon Night" at Camden Yards is one of our favorite end of summer activities!

What's more fun than going to a baseball game with 5,000 members of the LDS church, right?

We always have fun watching the game, and hanging out with friends!

Thanks for the memories Orioles! 

Aquarium Field Trip

We went to the National Aquarium in Baltimore

 with our Homeschool Group for our November field trip. 

There was once upon a time that I hated going to the Aquarium. It was a stressful, horrible time for me. They don't allow strollers there, and trying to go when my brood was younger was just crazy!

Now, however is a completely different story!

I love it!

And, I also love that with our homeschool group, the kids get in free!

Can't beat that!

And the kids had such a great time!

Ashlyn checking out our 3 legged turtle friend.

So much to see and explore!

The older kids took off and explored on their own, so I didn't get any photos of them.

But tons of the little girls checking out the wonders of the ocean!

It was fun to explore with friends too.

The jellyfish are one of my favorite exhibits!

Just so beautiful!

Having fun with turtles.

After lunch, Duncan hung out with us, so I got to get a photo of him too!

Great day at the Aquarium!

The National Aquarium in Baltimore!

Our Homeschool Group went to the Aquarium for our field trip in January.

We had a great time hanging out with our friends, and all the animals!

Only thing is....I didn't take a single picture of the kids.

Not one.  Boo.

But, here's what I got of some of the animals....

 Our friend the 3 finned sea turtle.

 The dolphins.

Which no longer perform in a show, because apparently it is cruel to make them jump up when you want them to.

Instead the just swim around, and in my opinion look bored.

I was kind of disappointed.

Boo, again.

The jellyfish were a favorite, and AMAZING to watch!

Loved the colors!

Even thought I didn't get a photo of anyone smiling....we still had a great time!

The Statsraad Lehmkuhl

A Norweagian ship was in Baltimore Harbor.

Not just any Norwegian ship, one that we have seen before...12 years and 3,000 miles ago.

(Statsraad Lehmkuhl in Liverpool, England 2001)

Brian and I participated in Sea Trek in 2001.

This was to commemorate the gathering of saints from Europe to America. We were living in England at the time, and joined the group for 5 days of sailing from Liverpool to Southampton, England. We did not sail on the Statsraad Lehmkuhl, but it was one of the ships with us (the largest ship amongst them actually).

We sailed on the Sorlandet...

Here's Brian on the Sorlandet while on watch at the helm. (2001)

Brian was so excited to go visit the Lehmkuhl while it was docked in the Inner Harbor, and go down memory lane a bit.

He and Hayden went one afternoon to tour the ship.

Then the girls and I went with Brian early one morning to watch is sail out of Baltimore....

The crew were all singing as they sailed away!

It was fun to watch.

Then, before heading to the car, we took a quick ride on the old carousel in the Harbor.

 Little bit of magic there.

Field trip to the Maryland Science Center!

October is Homeschool Month at the Maryland Science Center!

All month long they have science classes you can sign the kids up for from ages 3 up, and very reduced prices for entry!

The classes are $5.50/each, and if you have one child signed up for a class that day, the whole family gets into the museum for FREE! Can't beat that!

AND I know of FREE parking in Baltimore just across the street!

What would of cost me $86.00 for the 5 kids and myself, cost only $11.00 (I had two kids signed up)!

I love a good deal!

If you didn't sign up for any classes, homeschoolers still got in for the discounted price of $2.00/person!

Crazy! I love these Homeschool discounts!!

Our Homeschool group met there for this months field trip.

A good time was had by all!

Ashlyn's most favorite thing to do there is the dinosaur dig.

So, we made that our first stop!

Little Paleontologists!

I signed Madelyn up for a science class called 'I'll Huff, and I'll Puff'

They built homes out of paper cups, then the big bad wolf (fan) blew them down. Next they tried to build with wooden blocks and talked about why those didn't blow down like the cups. She enjoyed it.

Ronan took a Mummies class, which he came out of excited and happy!

They 'mummified' a tomato, and he says he loved the class-sucess!

We singed up for two more days in October (why not, right?). Duncan will be taking a Circuits class, Ronan, Morgan, & Duncan will take a Fact or Fiction class, and we will all see the Mummies IMAX movie.

Had to lay on the bed of nails before we left...

Thank you Maryland Science Center!