A Summer of Museums, Zoos and Aquariums

Portland Children's Museum

We took almost a week out of our month in Washington to visit my sister Anna and her husband Sterling. It was an exciting time. We went to the Children's museum in Portland. It was very fun for the kids.
They had a stage, a water area, actually, if you have ever been to the Lied Discovery Children's Museum, it had almost the exact same things.
Payton loved this "store" area. She played in it for over an hour.

Portland Zoo

The Portland Zoo was very fun. We spent a long day there. Here are the girls in a petting zoo. They got to pet goats, sheep, birds, and rabbits.
The girls are sitting in a human-size eagles nest.
There was an elephant museum, inside the zoo. This is an elephant tricycle. Can you imagine training an elephant to ride this tricycle?
Here we are in the penguin exhibit.

Monterey Aquarium

This aquarium was a lot of fun for the kids. There was a huge section with kids activities, play area, dress-up, etc. Payton looks happy doesn't she? Remember the nap on the chair post? That nap took place only hours after this picture. I told you see was tired.
We sat and watched a live feeding. It was fun to watch. This is a school of sardines. They were so cool to watch. It was just like the scene from Finding Nemo were the school of fish move together in a group. We were waiting for the fish to form into an arrow, didn't happen, but it was still cool.
Here we are in front of the huge whale on the ceiling.
Here we are at the wharf after the aquarium. So many interesting facts, so many interesting animals, so little time.


Here are the girls feeding a bird at the Portland Zoo.


Here is Madi walking across the monkey swing at the zoo. She was so proud of herself when she was done. She had tried three times before she was able to do it. I am always calling her my "little monkey."