Cabin Trip, Part 2

After our scorpion adventure on Friday morning, we made it upstairs to have breakfast with everyone. The boys had fun playing some more in the living room while we decided on what to do for the day.


We decided to go to Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies. We parked near the aquarium and then walked through Gatlinburg looking for a place to eat lunch. We decided on Blaine's Bar and Grill. It was okay and luckily almost empty because Carter was his normal loud self! After lunch we headed back to the aquarium.

Carter was very excited about the tank in the entrance area and we ended up having to drag him away from it ...


The boys and their dads checking out the dart frogs ...


Carter is a daddy's boy and spent lots of time with him looking at the tanks ...


The boys loved turning these wheels ...



Carter and Brian taking a break ...


Carter loved the sea turtle in the tank with the moving walkway ...


Happy boy!


"I found a fish!" ...


I love Carter's expression in this picture!


The new penguin exhibit opened a few weeks ago. It's pretty impressive.

Carter really liked looking at the penguins swimming ...


The penguins can swim in a glass tunnel between the indoor and outdoor exhibits. There's one section you can walk on and see them below your feet.


Carter has been very into giving statues hugs lately ...


Meeting the aquarium's mascot and giving him "five" ...



I think we all had fun exploring the aquarium together. I have a season pass and Carter and I have been there a few times over the last year with Sarah and Mary Grace, but it was really different having more adults than kids this time!

We grilled steaks for dinner and then set up the water table on one of the back porches for the boys to play with. Dominic LOVED the train. He is very much into cars and trains. Carter is just started to really enjoy them.



Tina brought a couple of neat bubble makers for the boys to play with. Carter liked putting the plane in his hair (I kept thinking he was going to get some hair stuck in the propeller and pull a bunch out!).



Carter was very much into giving Dominic hugs that night. Dominic just sort of stood still and took it. Sometimes Carter can be very lovey.


Enjoying some water after getting baths ...


We let Carter stay up late Friday night while we were playing with the Wii. He was SO HAPPY and behaving so well that we just couldn't put him to bed.


Carter kept scooting back between Brian's feet while he played ...


Here's a video of Carter cheering for Art and Brian as they competed in bowling ...

We had fun on Friday and the boys seemed to enjoy hanging out together. Carter definitely has a new buddy!