They day David started Spring break we woke the boys up at 3 am, loaded them in the packed van and drove off to Kentucky. Why Kentucky you ask? The Creation Museum is there, that's why.
We decided to make it a 4 day 3 night adventure that included the Newport Aquarium, the Ohio River Levee and the Creation Museum complete with its planetarium. Boy did we have fun.
Since we travel with 3 kids, we have learned that the hotel room is just as important as the museum when it comes to planning. We stayed at Ashley Quarters in Florence Kentucky. Our room had 3 queen beds, a desk/table area, BIG screen TV with DVD and a FULL kitchen. Yup not just a micro and dorm size fridge. I am talking a full 4 burner stove/oven, micro, dishwasher and full size fridge. Plus, it was adjacent to a 24 hour supermarket. Ok that was sweet.
I will upload some pics and videos soon of our trip but here are the highlights:
1. Creation Museum - We have been doing our nightly devotions on Genesis and so far have covered creation, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. So what a good time to reinforce much of what we have been studying at home these last 3 months. The Noah's Arc area of the museum was a favorite. I think they gained a much better understanding of just how BIG that arc was. The Garden Of Eden was terrific. Nothing tops the Planetarium though. Nathan was a bit scared (it is DARK and the planets come at you fast)Both Caleb and Nathan needed to be on a parent lap in order to recline to see the presentation on the ceiling dome. So if you ever go and have little ones, don't pay extra for their seats, they will be on your lap anyway.
2. Newport Aquarium: Ok so my second son is an ocean buff. So we have seen our share of aquariums. But Nothing has even comes close to this place. It has a huge area designated for Jelly fish. Never seen anything that good before. All 3 boys were totally awed (as was mom) . We could care less about fish we want to see the exotic - jelly fish, sharks, sting rays etc. This place had it all. I pet a pajama shark with my own hands - ewwww. The shark display beats Sea World, hands down. You walk thru a larger area, the lighting is better and there is no walkway conveyor belt forcing you to plow thru at a fast pace. Here we spent lots of time staring up at the divers in the tank, the stingrays, the sharks (teeth and all! - and I don't mean nurse sharks either) and 2 sharkrays. Those were so incredible. We walked over a glass floor over crocodiles, and in the aviary we fed the lorikeets who ate right out of our hands. (Nathan LOVED that part) This place was worth the 8 hour drive both ways alone - and we travel with a 2 year old! That is saying somethin'.
3. Ohio River Levee - we walked over the purple people bridge. It is a purple pedestrian only bridge that connects Ohio with Kentucky. We did a history lesson with David and Caleb about the Underground railroad. As the Ohio river served as a crossing point for slaves to leave slavery and cross into the free north. The Levee was beautiful. We ate at Deweys pizza - for real the best pizza I have ever had. The kids enjoyed watching the pizza dough get thrown in the air and twirled about. Everyone enjoyed eating it - we ordered a second 17 inch pizza and took it back to the hotel. I will be running for miles to work that off but it was worth every bit.
The drive home was even good. The kids were troopers. We drove 6 1/2 hours before having to make our first real pit stop to get out and stretch the legs and run off some energy. (yes we did do a roadside pee at about 4 hours - can't say there is no "P" in Indiana - tee hee) So now it is midnight, the kids are asleep and I am doing laundry. But man it sure was fun.
