;)
Georgia Aquarium; Atlanta, GA
Tuesday, September 15, 2009 at 11:21AM The Georgia Aquarium is right next door to the World of Coca-Cola so of course we had to stop by. They bill themselves as the world's largest aquarium, and their prices reflect that! You only live once, though, right? As we entered we had our bags inspected by smiling employees, and then another smiling employee took our picture. Of course we bought one, because you only live once. Plus I'm never pictured on my own blog, and that isn't right.
Right away I could tell that the aquarium would be worth the price of admission - they have whale sharks! Two of 'em! That is just amazing. The Goobs were all calm and collected - they just sat there in a viewing window with their little fish guides and identified this fish and that fish,
while I bounced around from window to window hollering, "Look! Here they come!" and "Oh, my GOODNESS, it's coming this way!" and "Look, guys! It's a freakin' WHALE SHARK!" My poor little Goobers. They can't take me anywhere.
Look at them! They're cool as cucumbers, just hanging out in the window as if there aren't two WHALE SHARKS swimming around in that tank.
Well, you know what? I didn't need them. I just kept on bouncing from window to window and muttering, "Whale shark!" to myself at regular intervals. This gave me great satisfaction because a) it completely embarrassed my family and b) it ensured unobstructed views because nobody wanted to let their children stand too close to me. Ha! Hahahahaha!
Eventually The Goobs stepped in and led me gently but firmly away from the whale sharks. I might have screamed and kicked a little, but I was soon distracted by the interactive touch screen and the lecture on beluga whales.
But as soon as The Goobs turned their backs, I ran right back to the whale sharks.
I just can't be trusted.
********************************************************************
I want to take this opportunity to tell everyone how wonderful it is to have children the age of my Goobers. They can go to the bathroom by themselves, they can sit still and listen to a lecture, they don't run away while your back is turned, they don't throw their toys at little old ladies . . . I had no idea how much time I spent trying to shield an unsuspecting public from the horrors that are my Goobs until I didn't have to do it anymore. And now they're shielding the public from the horror that is me.
********************************************************************
"Mom, let the little girl look at the whale sharks. Mom. Get off the glass, Mom. MOM! Come on! Let the little girl see! Look, there's a sea dragon. Isn't it pretty? Oooh, look at all the sea dragons!"
"And jellies, Mom! Look at the jellies! Aren't they pretty? Look, jellies like JellyMan! Mom? Wow, Mom, jellyfish! Can you say jellyfish? Mom! Get back here and look at the pretty jellies!"
They'll be such good parents someday. But for now, they're still having a good time crawling through tunnels and playing in the touch tank.
Hey, look! A freakin' whale shark!
field trips, georgia in Homeschool
Reader Comments (11)
Hey you could have seen some beluga whales in the wild if you had traveled to Anchorage a couple of weeks ago!! You wouldn't have had to pay the price of the aquarium's admission either.
Glad you bought the photo of the family so that we get to see you this time around as well as the Goobers and the Man. You are creating memories for the kids you know they need to be able to show their kids what grandma was like back in the day. =D
I know! We used to drive out to Beluga Point and watch them all the time. Once we watched a young beluga swimming back and forth along the shoreline for over an hour. I suppose he was having a snack. (Or maybe he just lost his keys!) I miss Alaska so much.
LOL! You are hilarious. Great post.
LOL We went there just after it opened. We also jumped from window to window yelling, "Look a Whale Shark!". It didn't matter, because my two oldest forgot their glasses and couldn't see two feet in front of them. Also the shark tank was a disappointment, because there weren't any sharks in it, except one Whale Shark.
We hope to go again soon. I hope to behave like you.
Loved reading this!! We live just outside Atlanta and think the aquarium here is incredible, too! My little one isn't quite old enough yet to be embarrassed by my enthusiasm, but maybe in a year or two that might change.
That is freaking awesome!! A whale shark!! I am so jealous. I live outside of Seattle and all we see are flounders at the aquarium. We have a lame aquarium.
You know, as I was reading about your aquarium behavior, and accompanying Tourette-like outbursts, I was thinking that must be some sort of divine payback, justice for having survived your kids' earlier years. Then you said pretty much the same thing. So I guess I'm not sure why I'm leaving a comment...
Forgive my absence, I've been busy and am usually brain-fried and lacking in any sort of comment wittiness.
You guys have great vacations. - see, that comment was a bland as white socks
I'm proud of you for not stealing a whale.
Oh, and you look great, btw!
Holy Crap! A Whale Shark! Those things are HUGE! I am so jealous.
Also, Tressa, the Seattle Aquarium does not suck. You want to see a sucky aquarium, try coming to Colorado. Yeah, we have NO OCEANS HERE, and you know, endless exhibits of trout just don't really do it for me...
Yeah, Deb, you are probably right. I think i would get tired of looking at trout. I just miss the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, and I was pouting because I have never seen a whale shark. :)