The Virginia Living Museum

For Valentine's Day, we planned a family trip to the Virgina Living Museum in Newport News.  This was an excursion that I've wanted to do since Thanksgiving.  It was great to be together as a family.  So even though the day was not particularly "romantic," it was the best Valentine's present Jared could have given me.  I really enjoyed watching Jared watch Luke.  It's sad that as a father and student, he doesn't get as much time with Luke as I do.  This was a special day and a special place for them to share.  

Excuse me, those of you who live around here and have been there, but I'm going to give a brief explanation for family.  The Virgina Living Museum is a combination of outside zoo/wildlife preserve, and inside aquarium, planetarium, and museum/rotating exhibit.  For Luke, it's a real-life Baby Einstein video.

Luke and Jared looking down at the alligator exhibit.  Luke smiled when he saw the alligator below and almost let the binky slip.  I swiped it before it fell.  That would have been an interesting thing to explain to an employee.  Of course, maybe it's happened before...

We looked at several of the exhibits inside (like the alligator and fish) before going outside to see the "zoo."  Luke enjoyed looking at the fish.  He talked to them a little bit, and he liked being able to walk right up to the glass.  The fish exhibits were pretty dark inside, so I didn't get any good pictures.  But I did get a video of one animal that had been in a cage way too long...

After it warmed up a bit, we headed outside, and Jared took control of the camera.  He got some great shots!

Luke and I looking at the water birds.

Cool looking birds.

There is a large wetland outside where wild birds come to nest during the winter.  I don't know if these birds are year-long residents or visitors.

Luke watching the ducks in the water.

Bald Eagle

Bobcat

Red Fox

And what kept Luke mesmerized the longest?  Was it a bird? A plane?  No!  It was...

The ceiling fan!

All in all, a wonderful day.