Labor Day weekend we sought out some AZ entertainment.  We learned our lesson from last year and went for something INDOORS=cooler.

Located in Arizona Mills mall in Tempe is overpriced Sea Life Aquarium.  We made a day of it considering it’s not often we go to a “traditional” indoor mall like we’re used to from KS.    Did a little shopping, ate at the food court, toured the aquarium & hit up Auntie Ann’s for a pretzel afterwards.

The aquarium didn’t allow flash photography so very few of my pictures turned out.  They kids loved it!  They have always had a fascination with sea animals.

  

Touching starfish & other animals in the touch tank.

Aidan’s biggest love next to killer whales…stingrays.  They had the BIGGEST rays I’d ever seen.  The tank was not too deep and they had a pier built above it you could go stand on to see from above.

Throughout the aquarium there were “bubbles” in tanks where the kids could look through and feel like they were in with the fish.

Largest crab EVER!!! Matt & Isaac in the tube surrounded by water & fish on ALL sides.  Isaac was not so sure.  Another mother pushed her son through in a stroller.  He was terrified clinging & gripping the edges of the stroller!!

The kids & I were standing behind a “U”  shaped aquarium…no flash = no good photo.  They each LOVED sticking their heads up the aquarium bubbles to see sea life up close & personal.

  

Not sure if you watched the show Tanked on Animal planet.  Aidan loves anything Animal Planet & sea animals so when this show was advertised he knew he wanted to watch it.  Since it has aired we’ve received several messages from people who know us claiming Matt looks like one of the Tanked guys….what do you think?  Often times in the show the guy (Wade) wears sunglasses on his head just like Matt.  Even some of their mannerisms are the same! Crazy!

 

We concluded our day in the gift shop where each kid picked a small toy.  Aidan got a snake (he calls an eel), Isaac got a stuffed shark, and Emma got a cup with fish on it.  No trip to a mall is complete without an Auntie Ann’s pretzel.  Isaac says “let’s destroy this clean white shirt with cheese sauce!!” :)

Now that swimming is an everyday occurance I seem to forget to take pictures and record the memories.  The kids LOVE water.  Mid summer Aidan started swimming without any floatation.  Isaac goes back and forth between floating on the shallow platform or kicking around all over with arm floaties.  Emma’s a regular fish that can hold her breath a very long time.

They especially love swimming with Daddy.  He can throw, flip & flop them all over the place. Such activity highly stresses mommy!!!

 

Isaac even joined in the fun although daddy caught him before going fully under water.  He’s not a fan of that. Such throwing caused some wardrobe malfunctions for him :)

  

Now for the funniest photo…I didn’t even catch how funny it was when I first took it.  But when looking at the pics for the blog post it hit me…do you see it?

 

Cute & funny Isaac is whizzing…even FUNNIER that Emma is looking on with her mouth OPEN in the water he’s peeing in!!!! Bwhahaha!  She’ll love this one later on in life….so will Isaac I suppose. :)