kaleidoscoping chaos...: Let's Talk to the Animals!

I need to get the old school version of the Dr. Doolittle movie. I remember seeing it as a kid and loving it. Especially that two headed llama thing... but who knows... I have vague recollections of the movie, but remember really liking it and the music... need to look for it on amazon.com (found it here).

My kids LOVE animals. Real, fake, stuffed, plastic, in cages, roaming free, in stables, in pictures, in tanks, in movies - every which way they love them...

It is still super crazy hot here. Like Sahara Desert hot - only the camels should be out in this heat kind of weather. The car thermometer said 99 degrees today.

We needed to get out of the house for three hours this morning because our heavenly cleaning crew (as in the best gift from god) was visiting us today post July 4th party madness.

To the Rock Creek Nature Center... and this time I called ahead to make sure it was open despite all the recent power outages. I am learning. (remember this fiasco - see here)

It is on every one's recommended list of things to do with kids. We agree. It is also literally down the block from us - so very easy! I see many more visits in our future. There isn't a ton to do - not necessarily a whole day adventure. But what is there, is good for the kids, and my kids really enjoyed it. They spent like a good 15-20 minutes watching the three turtle tanks (2 water and 1 land). Jonah gave them names and it was a whole experience. The land turtle was moving around "talking" to us and "waving" - that was the "Vera" turtle. One of the water turtles was swimming about - that was the "Jonah" turtle. And then one water turtle was "resting" on the island... somehow that was the "mommy" turtle - as if I ever get to hang out on an island and rest... but it was Jonah's narration. They loved this back corner.

It is one big room with a ton of stuffed animals and some live ones (turtles, fish, snakes). Then there is a little "playroom" which my kids explored. There is also a nice gift shop which I bypassed quickly - I figure we are going to spend lots of time here and I did not want to set a "buying stuff" precedent. There is also this table of stuff to touch and feel. I didn't get a picture of it but at one point Vera had a raccoon skin she was walking around with and hugging it and it was like her best friend until Jonah ripped it out of her hands and yelled it is not real Vera - give it to me... Big brothers.

We also braved the heat and took the "handicap" accessible path in the woods. It is a nice short shady path that you can take with a stroller. We stopped and hand some drinks on a bench and to rest our feet - Jonah needed to because his feet were "falling asleep..." We had lunch at the picnic tables in front of the Nature Center.

We still had time to kill. There is also a planetarium at the Nature Center, but the shows for little kids are at 4pm on Wednesdays. We need to check that out.

I knew the Rock Creek Horse Center was right next door and Jonah is currently obsessed with horses. So we ventured there.

We walked all around the barn and the horse stables. Vera loved it and just wanted to jump up on a horse. Jonah was the one who was screaming he wanted to see horses all morning... and then when we got there he was "really scared, mommy" - he eventually was somewhat OK but whenever the horse made the "horse" sound - that sounds a little bit like blowing a horse nose with a little tone... he freaked out... Vera thought it was great and was making the same sound. Jonah wanted to know why the horses weren't saying nay, or he haw... it was actually quite hysterical the whole little walk around the stables. No one seemed to care we walking around. It killed another 15/20 minutes or so. The horses were very beautiful. They offer all kinds of camps and programs year round. There is even a camp for 4 year olds... maybe next summer Jonah can actually learn to ride the horse! There are also pony rides you can sign up for (must be 2.5 yrs and 30 inches...) - we need to get Jonah up on the pony!!! Maybe a few more visits and then a ride?!?!

Next stop - we went for fruit smoothies from the Burger King drive thru on Conn Ave... my new favorite secret treat spot (it actually isn't so bad, it is real fruit and lowfat yogurt - totally yummy! - see here). Oh, how the mighty have fallen...

Thank god for the Animals, Amen to that!