California Science Center

 I believe our last picture in front of the van was Jan of 2007 so we need an update. In Jan 2007, T and I were both pregnant with our youngest....I just hadn't found out yet. I believe that was also the first time we took a field trip together. On that field trip, we went to Lancaster, PA and had a great time learning about the Amish Community. Four and a half years later we are on the other side of the country enjoying more field trips together...now with 9 kids! Today, we went to the California Science Center and Natural History Museum.

 I like this cloud creator because it helped explain to my girls why they can't walk on clouds. A topic of discussion while on the airplane.

 The first exhibit was creative minds. There were many interactive sections. This one was similar to Wii.

 The earthquake simulator was something else. We were just standing there watching information about earthquakes and how buildings are built specifically to with stand them when the floor just started shaking. My heart skipped a beat and I grabbed Dragonfly's hand tight. The second time the floor shook it was much longer but start gradual that I was less shocked by it. When we live in CA, we only experienced one very small earthquake. While we were in CA this time we missed the actual earthquake on the east coast. I thought that was very ironic.

 We made it just in time for the dive show. The kelp forest at the there was really beautiful. We received some good information about the fish in the tank. The girls wrote in their journals about life in the tank before we headed onto something else.

 There were two sections of the center designed specifically for kids 7 and younger. The one downstairs was designed like a house and showed some of the pests that may be living with you. There was a garden outside and a den full of really fun toys.

 Checking out the root system.

 Magnetic birds.

 Playing nature dominoes.

 Learning about how wind changes the surface of the earth.

 This section was all about CA. It was fun to find specific areas on the map and see places we had been from a different perspective.

The last section we went to was about the human body. The girls all wanted a chance to drive the car that let them see how challenging it can be to properly drive while drunk. They couldn't stay on the road. We also looked at models of the heart and really brains. We certainly could have spent much much longer at the Science Center but I am glad we got to experience a little of both museums.