A trip to the museum

We had a very atypical moment in our house on Saturday. I was reading the paper and mentioned that it says there is a free day at the Museum of Nature and Science. Roger looks up at me and says, "let's go". Now, with 2 kids, being spontaneous isn't as easy as it used to be. So, I asked, "do you really want to go?" "Sure, let's do it." We get ourselves ready, run a couple of errands and we are headed down Colorado Blvd. Roger mentions that it has been perhaps 20+ years since he's been to the museum. We find it and park. Hmmm, it didn't seem hard to find a spot in the garage. Up we go, unsure of how these free days work. Finally, I walk through the line, go up the counter and ask. "We're aware of the misprint, but unfortunately we can't do anything about it" OH NO!

Our budget is tight...and in the past we probably just would have put it on a card and gone, but we looked at each other and knew it wasn't to be. I suggested a walk out to City Park. It was supposed to be a cloudy, cool day, and I dressed my kids for that. As we walk out to the rose garden, we see a great fountain to play in, but of course we are dressed in long sleeves and pants. It is soon too hot to just sit there, so Roger suggests going in to look at the gift shop.

We head back to the entrance and take in the Grizzly bear statue facing City Park. That has been there a long time...and I notice for maybe the first time she has 2 cubs at her feet. Katrina and Roger head for the shop, and I keep Alex out since a double stroller isn't bound to be easy to maneuver in the aisles. TheT-rex bones are at the entrance, so we check these out. Then we head into the main hallway, and I hear a familiar sound. Its the Sabertooth! Put in money, and that guy will growl for you. Alex watches the crowd, the 2nd dinosaur skeleton on the ceiling, and Katrina comes out of the shop talking about how cool it was. I give her a penny and take her up the the Sabertooth. As I hold her up to put in her penny, I realize that this guy hasn't had his teeth cleaned since before I saw him in Elementary School. Finally we head out t0 the car.

So, we didn't get to go to the museum, but somehow we saw the things I remember most from my childhood trips--dinosaur bones, the Grizzly, and the Sabertooth. We didn't spend a dime! Just think what fun they'll have when they really get to go to the museum. But for now, I guess this will have to do.