Virginia Aquarium

Tonight was Teacher Appreciation night at the Virginia Aquarium!  So teachers could get in for free and bring a guest.  I've been wanting to take Rachel, so we thought a free night was the perfect opportunity.  Of course it's always more fun if you take a friend, so we invited Eva to go with us.  After a not-so-quick dinner at McDonalds, we were at the Aquarium!  

They were both SOOO excited- they didn't stop talking the whole way there.  We didn't understand some of what they said, but they sure did!

Looking at the fish swimming above them

In the shark!

Watching the sharks!

Riding the dolphin

Trying to pet the sting rays... I'm not sure why they wouldn't come up to the 3 year olds!  :)  I definitely had to hold Eva back on this one... I'm pretty sure she would have jumped in if I would have let her!

Gavin really was more excited than this!  He was pretty intrigued by all the stuff going on.

Tonight was a great night to go.  There was hardly anyone there since it was past closing time (they opened again just for teachers) and we took our time without having to fight crowds and big groups!  

Air Show

We were so excited to hear that their was an air show at Oceana this weekend!  Dustin's been wanting to see the Blue Angels and I haven't seen them in a long time.  We were excited to talk it up with Rachel, too.  She loves planes and she has been quite the tourist since we've moved here, pointing up to the sky and yelling about the planes, so we were excited to take her to see so many planes all over the place.  (Just as a side note, the last time she went to go see planes was when she went to the airport to pick up great-grandpa Nieter, so when we were on our way, she talked about seeing him again.  It broke my heart to tell her that we weren't going to get him today!)

Poppy enjoyed walking with Rachel!

Buddies!

In a Blackhawk helicopter

Waiting to see the Blue Angels

Gavin was excited to have his toy!

Mimi helped Rachel cover her ears when the planes got too loud!  She didn't seem like she was having the best of times during the show, but she talked about them the whole way home!

Gavin just chilled most of the time...

he just got freaked out the one time that one jet surprised everyone and was really loud!

It was a little windy!  

We were fully expecting both kids to be asleep before we got off the base... Gavin didn't even make it to the car- he seriously fell asleep with his forehead on the cup holder walking back.  Rachel on the other hand was too excited on the way home and did not sleep at all, but she sure did that night!

Rachel's first day of preschool

I can't believe that Rachel has started her first year of preschool!  Wasn't she just born yesterday!?  She has been so excited about her "pack-pack" and everything that comes with going to school, like taking her lunch!  I have to admit, I was a little jealous that Daddy got to take her (one of the down sides of being a preschool teacher)... but at least I got to pick her up.  She did great (of course) and is already learning things.  We've been working with her on her teacher's name- Mrs. Weeks.  So I asked her on the way home what her teacher's name was, and her response- "God the Father"... hmm, well, no, but I'm glad they're teaching her things about the Bible!  I can't wait to see how much she grows this year!