Every now and then I like to change things up around here.  You might be visiting today expecting to see some absurd video of Big D rapping or doing the worm, or get my latest discourse on "American Idol," or find out what my favorite movies from the 1980s were, but you're in for a big surprise today.  Today I'm going all educational on you....and it's in the middle of the summer to boot!  The reality is that here at Hilltop Academy the learning never stops.  Some days we learn that if mom is in a really bad mood, it's best not to put the answer of 3 for every single one of your summer-brush-up math problems so that you can be done and go swimming.  Other days we learn that if we are super quiet and only leave the TV volume on low that Mom might sleep until almost 9am.  But over the weekend we learned about sea life by going to the super cool Aquarium in Chattanooga...

Before I begin my educational discourse on aquatic life, there are a couple of things I'd like you to know...

1. This is not going to be very educational because I really don't know very much about aquatic life, but I like to look at it.
2. All of the photography was done by me and my puny camera and not Big D and his fancy-schmancy one (well, except for the one that I'm actually in...but he still used my puny camera).  I'm really proud of that fact because some of them turned out pretty darn well.

First, the kids stopped by the stingray petting pool, and both wanted assurance first that there was no way they could get killed like the Crocodile Hunter before they put their hands in the water.

I've never understood why people get so excited to be touching things that look like this...

I was very content to just stand back and photograph the activity.  Besides I'm pretty sure that there's some kind of rule that pregnant women should avoid touching stingrays.  I think my doctor may have mentioned that on my last visit.

Next we visited the butterfly room, which isn't sea life, but it's still a cool exhibit so I wasn't complaining.

They are pretty cooperative little buggers, aren't they?

Then we visited the penguin room where I discovered that it's next to impossible to get good pictures of penguins through glass, so I was forced to take a picture of the kids with giant fake penguins...

This was the best I could do with the real thing...

Here we have some jellyfish (and to give proper credit, Big D did help me a little in photographing these creatures)...

Harrison finding Nemo...

And then here is some kind of giant crab and the reflection of a man in a white shirt...

Here's a pretty decent shot of a friendly, smiling caiman,

A Big D...

Some seahorses...

The one on the right is pregnant, and it's MALE.  So there....one valid educational fact from yours truly.

And, finally, some type of uninhibited frog...

Before we left, I splurged and bought Peanut its first souvenir...

...a soft, little stuffed penguin.  I couldn't help it.

Well, I hope you enjoyed your uncharacteristically educational visit to my blog.  Come back anytime you need to feel enlightened!

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Posted by proverbsmomof3

I love the butterflies, the jellyfish (always my favorite at Riverbanks) and the seahorse pictures best. I know what you mean about getting pictures of the penguins. The glass is really annoying. You did get a good shot though.
Looks like you had a wonderfully educational time. And I'm sure that Peanut will snuggle right up with your souvenir,

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Posted by sixfolks

Thanks for the tour. The pregnant male sea horse made me think of all the times I told my husband, "If you want another one YOU carry it!" :)
Corey

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Posted by 4sweetums

What a great aquarium. All of the little critter were cut and I generally don't pet those things in the pool either. You look great by the way.
Blessings,
Dawn

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Posted by lahbluebonnet

What fun! I took some of the same photos in Texas over the years! We went to the butterfly tent at the zoo the other day and I could not get a photo of the gorgeous blue butterfly because they wouldn't land anywhere! I love to pet and feed the stingrays. In Houston, they stand up and beg for food! It's a hoot! Then we always do the aquariums and penguins at Seaworld. Fun that you have all that in one place!
Bressings,
Laurie

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Posted by Arby

1) I like your hair cut. Is that new?

2) Smiling Caiman and Big D, which one looks more dangerous? Hmm....

3) The butterfly pictures are really nice.

4) I wish my scanner worked. I could show you the pictures of me standing next to an emporer penguin in Antarctica.

5) It's a good thing no one was standing in front of a couch when the pictures were taken!

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Posted by happycamper

Oh, wow! We saw a video from our library about this place! Wait until I tell my kids there are real live people who have a blog who took pictures and put them on their blog! Great job. And you look lovely, by the way.
Jenn

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Posted by Susan

The aquarium looks like is was a lot of fun. Of course my big question is, "Where did you eat in Chattanooga??" JM and Michelle loves the dining possibilities there!!

We have yet to venture to the Atlanta aquarium. It's supposed to be really cool. I think we'll wait to fork out the money until G can appreciate it a bit more.



Edited by kellieann on Jul. 2, 2008 at 11:04 AM

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Posted by byourlove1

Wow, you are getting some great pics! Looks like your having a blast, have fun.

Angela

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Posted by Anonymous

We LOVE the Tennessee Aquarium. Living in North Georgia, we can choose between the hugemongous Georgia Aquarium ("Disney does fish") and the more approachable, less crowded one in Chattanooga. We'll take the latter anytime. Tinkerbelle especially loves the butterfly room.

Have a great holiday weekend!
Chris
http://www.mountainhomeschool.blogspot.com/

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Posted by sadie423

Chattanooga is our "vacation" spot. IT is a very nice aquarium- although we seem to spend most of our time at the Creative Discovery Museum since we go to the Ripley's Aquarium 10 times or more a year.
Looks like you guys had fun!

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Posted by Debbles107

Looks like fun! Your butterfly pics are amazing!

Braden heartily approved of the gift you got Peanut. Penguins are his favorite animal ever.

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Posted by teachingmisssmartypants

Looks like a fun trip! We visited the big aquarium in Chicago (whose name escapes me at the moment...) a couple of times when we lived in IL and loved it.

I couldn't do the butterfly exhibit, though. A little known fact about me is that I despise the little buggers. I had to scroll quickly past your lovely pics, LOL!

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Posted by subbertfamily

Beautiful photos and beautiful family!! Can't wait to see little peanut!! I wish I had your address, I could get Peanut a little Japanese outfit!

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Posted by naturalpaths

We took ds1 to the aquarium in Chattanooga years ago (maybe 7 years ago? - the seahorses were the latest and greatest attraction back then). We enjoyed the visit, but it looks like the aqaurium has grown even better since!

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