Isn't it cold and miserable outside? That means, it is seriously the BEST time of the year to be in DC. This is THE time to go to the Smithsonian. The school groups are gone. The tourists are gone. The steamy 90* humidity is gone.
The museums are warm and empty and overly staffed with eager and helpful volunteers bored out of their minds. Go anywhere on a weekday or early on a weekend and you can probably score a personal tour. This past week the kids and I were escorted through the reptile house at the National Zoo.
The friendly volunteer walked us through, providing insider knowledge on the personalities of most of the animals on exhibit. He also pulled out different snake skins and let my kids handle them, then let us go back into the resource room to get a look at preserved reptile skeletons, eggs, and teeth as well as the giant salamander breeding tanks.
My kids showed their keen appreciation for natural history by asking well thought out and pertinent questions and carefully observing the different animals. NOPE. Make that, swinging on the bars by the crocodile exhibit for ten minutes.
The volunteer to Reuben, Do you know why snakes stick out their tongues?
Reuben: They like to lick. What do you like to lick?
After the reptile house Reuben begged to go to the Amazon house. Here we are at the ray tank.
Feb 16, 2012
Feb 5, 2011
Back at the ranch Reuben drew his first person. According to Reuben, the circle with two small circles is Miriam. She is wearing a hat and mittens. It is snowing.
Here is Miriam, as Cosette, trying to sweep all the leaves off our street.
3 comments:
I like the year apart comparison photos. How they've grown!
Sounds like Miri got quite the honor to be the subject of Reuben's first person drawing.
And Cosette with rubber boots. That's great.
What fun and humorous adventures you and your children have. I am glad you have discovered such great DC secrets!
well done, I always like going to monuments/museums/national parks on odd days because of that very reason, being able to get into things easier and have a better time. My family has a tradition of going to national parks on Christmas, we're usually one of maybe 3 families we see the entire time. It's serene.
Post a Comment