OMSI Day Thursday June 19, 2008

We decided since we didn't finish OMSI on our trip there in April, that we'd head back before our memberships expired. Being that is the end of this month, we chose this week to head up.




Our morning started off beautiful....sunshine, warmer temps than we've had, and for the most part, everyone in a good mood. We arrived at Tracey's around 8:40, loaded all 7 kids in the truck, our lunches, snacks and of course movie players (it was a two hour ride--anything 2 hours or more gets a movie) and we were off. Being that we are going to Canada in two weeks, these last two trips with all 9 of us in the vehicle have been great dry runs for us. We have a list of what we need, and what we can do to make it better for the kids and Tracey & I. (Duct tape and plexiglass between driver & front passenger & the "Kid area"!) Just kidding...we will do fine!

We were on the road at 9am, and to OMSI about 10:45. (We made it up I-5 without a hawk sighting! HAHA) We started upstairs this trip, since we never did get through the last few exhibits last time. We explored the birth cycle, beginning with gestation, and luckily, no heavy questions were asked!! They did listen, before they got bored and ran off to the next exhibit, Your Body & Health....where they all enjoyed the new exhibits, and tried each one. We also explored the ways to tell a female skull from a male, and a male pelvis from a female. Males actually have more bones than women, in the pelvic area. I guess since God took that rib, he felt compelled to give Adam more bones somewhere else! Afterward, we headed into the creature lab, where we saw lots of snakes, rats, fish, turtles, bullfrogs (they were GREAT!), hissing cockroaches, walking stick bugs (Many varieties and sizes), lizards, geckos, albino mud puppies and a very large python. We were there for over an hour and a half before we headed out for our picnic lunch. We sat along the river, under the freeway bridge (talk about traffic) and enjoyed the nice sunny day.

After lunch we headed back inside, and went through the exhibits downstairs. Being we spent so much time here last visit, the kids knew exactly where they wanted to be and all took off in different directions. Two adults are not really enough for them to do this, but thankfully, some of them are old enough to be responsible out on their own. Ryan & Declan hung out together, and did their thing...Alyona did her thing, and Tracey & I were split between the remaining 4 girls....and the older ones did great letting us know where they were.

All Seven in front of OMSI's DINOSAUR


Around 2:30, we headed out for a snack and to load up to go home. Everyone had a great time,and we've found that we could spend days there,and they kids still would not be tired. However, since the boys had gun class tonight, it was best we headed back early.

Only 6 of 7--still a great picture!
We arrived home around 4:30, got supper on,and the boys went to class, Tracey & I stayed at home with the girls, and mapped out our route to Canada....visited, and enjoyed the quiet as the girls all were playing outside.

When the boys returned home.....the adults played a few rounds of cribbage. The girls were SMOKING...and had killer hands. The guys of course, did great keeping up with us, and there were no skunkings! The guys came back the last game, and PEGGED out before we had a chance to get our four points to cross the finish line. Nice comeback. Lucky for you Bill that those aces were played!!

We headed home after 10...enjoying our day, and as usual, our time with the O'Hara's.