Tuesday's Spring Break Fun

I always try to plan something fun for our breaks. I LOVE museums and try to share that experience with the kids. I had been planning on heading down to San Deigo to check out the Natural History museum with the kids. They have like 10 museums all close together at Balboa park. I had always wanted to take the kids there but it was a long drive, 1 1/2 hours, from H.B. and hadn't ever got around to it. Now we live about 50 min. so I thought I'd try it.

I hadn't really planned on going Tuesday but I checked my emails in the morning and found one from a friend that said that Tuesday was kids free day for the Natural History museum. So I thought that would be great. I packed up the kids ( and a MUCH protesting Bradley) and headed down south.

I was almost discouraged when we got there. I expected it to be crowded but it was INSANE! We drove around for 20 minutes trying to find a parking space by the Natural History museum to no avail. Plus the line was almost around the building to get in. I drove around the other museums and although there weren't lines around them I could not find a parking space. I haven't even been to a crowded day at Disneyland with such NO luck on a parking space.

My heart sunk because we had driven so far and Bradley had really not wanted to come; one reason being he gets car sick. But I was determined to have a cheerful attitude and prevail. So, I took the boys to good old McDonald's and we ate lunch and went back to try again. After driving around for 30 minutes (no exaggeration) we found a lady heading to her car. She was so kind as to notice and point us in the direction of her car to make sure we got her spot (thank you good neighbor!) Fortunately, she had an expedition and so my big van fit in with little problem!

I decided to not attempt the History Museum, bite the bullet and just pay to go to another museum. The boys choice the air and space museum (of course). Tyson enjoyed it as soon as he got out of the car. It was right in the flight path of the planes landing at the San Deigo airport.

The boys all LOVE planes and we had a blast checking them all out:

Look at the smiles on those faces!

Tyson trying his hand at being a pilot. It was a little chamber filled with air and you have to use the stick to keep the plane centered. He was a natural!

Bradley paid $3 to take pilot lessons. This is an actual simulator pilots start on and he's sitting next to an instructor. I sometimes wonder how far he and Tyson will make it in the sky. They have always enjoyed planes and helicopters.


We left at 2:30, to miss traffic and we did miss it! Smooth sailing all the way home. The best part... we all left with smiling faces and more fun memories to add to our collection. But the best part for me was to hear my pre-teen, previously cranky son, say "Thanks mom. I'm sorry I was grumpy this morning. It was worth it!" That, made it all worth it to me!

Lesson learned for mom, you CAN make lemonade out of lemons and ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING!