Spring Break Staycation

 We had an absolutely marvelous spring break last week. We had high hopes of maybe going somewhere this year, but the stars did not align. Daddy was swamped with work, so we decided to stay home and truly staycation. The kids and I went somewhere fun every day!

Monday, we started at the Greensboro Science Center, and Nana got to tag along:

 Petting sting rays and watching the gibbons eat were by far the highlights. They have recently redone their aquarium, and it was definitely worth the trip! Evan is definitely the creature spotter, and Issa loved reading the interactive signs and telling us all about the creatures he found.

Tuesday, the kids and I headed for the zoo. It was crazy weather! When we arrived in the morning, it was cloudy and foggy, which made the animals in North America very happy and active. By lunch, it had warmed up and we shared a picnic table with a lovely family of teachers before we took in the new bird show! It was amazing to see birds from all of the world do their natural behaviors. I never want to meet an African Condor in the wild. The kids were also feeling goofy:

 Evan is petting the ocelot Issa is becoming.

It was also the seventh anniversary of our first zoo trip, so the kids recreated our first zoo picture:

 Wednesday, we went to the Natural Science Museum in Raleigh where we enjoye a great illusions and mazes exhibit. In addition to the usual optical illusions, they had a host of full body mazes:

 Evan loved playing with the laser maze:

 I was so proud of him. He had it almost finished when a toddler came up and moved two mirros. The parent was mortified, but Evan just shrugged it off.

Issa loved playing with the light box:

 Thursday, we went to our favorite Life and Science Museum in Durham, which of course meant we needed the picture:

 For the first time, the kids spent nearly two hours in the contraptions exhibit just tinkering away:

 They also convinced me to climb to the top of the tree house with them:

The view was great, but climbing back down the nets almost was the end of me! I do not like heights, but the kids were so proud of me. The view from the top was also worth it:

Friday, we went bowling, because it's what you do on spring break:

Please examine the score board: 

I have never bowled like that in my life!

It was a great week, and we are slowly settling back into the school routine. Evan has already started the count down to summer break, though: 41 days!