Last Minute Fun!

Like I've said before, the Summer seems to have flown by like mad. The Boy and I are trying to squeeze in a few more days of fun before going back to the old grindstone.

Monday, we headed over to the College Park Aviation Museum in, well, College Park! This time, we went just to hang out and look around. We went last year, but it was for a story-time, and that puts a cramp on our leisurely strolls, so we just hung out this time. Zac had a blast. You can tell, because in the pictures that follow, he's actually giving a REAL smile, not the posed "oh, I'm supposed to be having fun" smile that he gets a lot lately.

He had the greatest time dressing up like an aviator. He must have put this getup on about three times total, and the flying goggles? Yeah, he wore them the entire time we were there. Typical.

He loved climbing in and out of the old Ercoupe that was there, and had a blast just running around looking at things. We (I) filled out a visual scavenger hunt, and we (I) learned a thing or two that I didn't know before. It was really interesting. I didn't even realize the last time we were there that the museum was 1) started by the Wright Brothers as a/along with a school for flight instruction, and 2) the oldest running flight museum in the country. They also have the first helicopter ever to fly, and, well, it sure doesn't look like a helicopter. The picture above is the boy in front of it - looks more like a plane to me.

We also had the opportunity to take a picture with one of the MD Turtles. The University has sponsored these turtles, much like the fish in Baltimore (original idea/starting place, I think), the Cape Hatteras horses, the DC Pandas, and the whatever city/state-you're-in-animals of choice. The turtles are really spread out over the whole DC/MD/VA area, and we've only seen one or two. This one was cool:


Disco Turtle.

I know I'm supposed to remember the name of the business that sponsored/paid for him, but, well, I wasn't that interested. Didn't look like a teacher supply store to me!! :O)

After the museum, I decided The Boy might like to see where his mamma went to college (2nd degree), so we toured the College Park Campus as well. He was immediately attracted to the bleachers of Byrd Stadium, so we walked over to see it. While walking from there to the mall, we passed a new (to me) statue of Jim Henson and Kermit (didja know Henson was a MD Alumnus??).

Then up to the top of the mall, where Testudo stands in front of the McKeldin Library with his big, shiny nose from all the students who rub it for luck on tests. Don't know if you can see from the picture, but his nose is very, very smooth and shiny, while the rest of the statue is a normal, bronzed-statue hue. Pretty cool. I rubbed that nose several (hundred) times myself.


Looking down the mall is still a beautiful sight, and the trees were very, very full with Summer leaves, giving the campus the look and feel as if it might be 100 years ago.

We continued our walk down to the fountain built by one of the sorrority houses while I was there. The Boy was enthralled, and I had to keep reminding him that he could NOT jump in - it was just for looking at!

The heat being what it was, we headed back to the car soon after, and off to eat our lunch at a park nearby where we were promptly chased off by one of the "friendly" resident squirrels. More like PUSHY! If I hadn't been scared to death, I'd have taken a picture, but I was worried about losing my lunch, or having my son bitten by a mad squirrel. This sucker actually jumped up on the table connected to ours WHILE WE WERE EATING! Sheesh. We finished our lunch in the car, while driving home!

All in all it was a great day. Tuesday he hung out with Pop-pop while Mommy went to a Math workshop, and today he helped me put paper on my bulletin boards in my classroom. He's a pretty good helper!

Tomorrow we are off to the Baltimore Aquarium!

:O)