No Swatting Allowed

I almost forgot to put up our pictures from the museum. Two weekends ago, we went to the Natural Science Museum in Raleigh. GREAT museum, if you ever get the chance to go.

It was a bit of a "spontaneous" trip. (For those of you who know me and my strange ways, you know I do not do "spontaneous" very well.) (For those of you who do not know me and my strange ways, I do not do "spontaneous" very well... it stresses me out.)

BUT, it was a fun little escape for the day.

I really think it was good for Dan to get away. He's been working like a crazy man lately, and we haven't seen him much. For some reason, the Army gives you LOADS of work to do in preparation for the nice "trips" they send you on. So much work, in fact, that he's gone all the time, and it seems like the "trip" has already started.

Maybe they think it's good practice.

So without further complaining, here is the museum!

First stop... was lunch. At a cute little cafe downtown. Can't take this family into a public place without feeding us first. It ain't pretty.







Giant dinosaurs, giant bugs, giant flying dinosaurs, and more dinosaurs!









Not everything in this place is dead!







One of the COOLEST things ever! The Butterfly Conservatory.





(Personally, my favorite moment of the day was when the "Butterfly Conservatory Lady-in-Charge" told us the only "rule" for going into the butterfly atrium was... "Don't swat the butterflies." Who swats a butterfly?)



And, the "Collections" Room... where you can actually go in and touch stuff! Dead stuffed stuff! (The boy's favorite part.)






I confess. I had to touch stuff in here, too. I will NOT swat a butterfly, but I can't resist poking a dead bird.