Portsmouth Children’s Museum

Rainy days in Norfolk led us to the Children’s Museum.  The day before, Chris had promised James a boat ride.  Turned out perfect because we were able to ride the ferry over from Norfolk to Portsmouth and both kids loved it!

 

Doesn’t get more exciting than train and motorcycles when we first walked into the museum! He loved it.

Haleigh really likes playing veterinarian.  She informed us that she wants to be a veterinarian for bunnies.  Very specialized…ha!

Making shadows and James was watching Chris put on a shadow show (he was making dogs with his hand).

Although someone (I won’t mention any names here…hehe) told them they were big enough to play put-put, this small demonstration at the museum had us thankful we didn’t take them for 18 holes at the miniature golf place on the beach!

We all loved making bubbles.  Especially the giant ones!

 

Something else Haleigh said that made us giggle:

When we first got to Norfolk, we told the kids they could call Tom, Colonel.  They asked why and Chris explained that Tom used to be a soldier and he become a Colonel in the military.  Haleigh was quite surprised to learn that soldiers existed because her response was, “Soldiers are really real?!:

Ocean View Beach

It’s not quite time to hit the big beach yet, but the kids were itching to get their toes in the sand so we took them to the local Ocean View Beach for a few.  They loved it!!

Tom followed us out on his Harley.  He looks sort of mean in this pic…we know differently! 

Can you tell how happy they are to be in the water?  I can’t wait to take them to the big beach!!

 

The kids have been full of funny things to say so far this trip.  I’m going to write them down here so I don’t forget! Some might not make any sense without the full story but we can always share later!!

When James saw Tom on his motorcycle, he asked Tom, “Did that cost a lot of dollars?” We think that James wants one because his brain was a turning…he was asking Chris all sorts of questions—whether Tom built it or bought it, etc.

When we were watching a video about the Wisconsin when we were at the Nauticus, James said, “This is a serious movie.”

Jaci showed Haleigh a picture of her and James and Haleigh said, “Look, there’s the cutest girl in the world.” So modest…lol!

We saw a windmill and James asked what it was.  Haleigh explained that it was a windmill.  About 5 minutes later, James put his hand on his chin and said very serious, “Sooo, that’s how the wind is made!”

The BIG “Pirate” Ship

 

All James wanted to do today was go and see the BIG ship!  The boy is running on 7 hours asleep (in comparison to his typical 10-12) and let me tell you, the smile was from ear to ear.  He was on cloud 9 for sure.

The Battleship Wisconsin.  I must say, she is a beast…a true man of war and I would definitely hide if I saw one coming at me!! I’ve visited this before but I enjoyed it a lot more this trip with James’s excitement.  Haleigh liked the ship but it was a little too hot for her comfort level.  This outting was definitely geared for James so now we have to figure out what to do for her day. 

He didn’t understand why Chris wanted him to back away (ugh, because you are freaking making me a nervous wreck sticking your head out there!!)!!

The kids got to touch a shark. Surprisingly, they liked it!

So we thought that this might calm Haleigh’s irrational fear of tornadoes and hurricanes.  Makes sense, right?!…put  her in a small contained space that shoots out 75 mph wind?!  She was good til it hit 78 and then she bolted.  LOL

Almost sported the Marilyn Monroe pose with my skirt flying up…Ha.  That would have been bad for spectators.  Lol

 

Heaven, again, for James…lots of buttons and gadgets and they all worked.  You can’t see it but it controlled a large arm that would pick things up.

This one a small boat show—all owned by the same man—didn’t take pics of all of them but they dated back to 1940’s.  They were pretty cool and very well restored and taken care of.  Once again, James was grinning ear to ear.  He has a love for boats..no questioning that.