Chattanooga or bust!

We decided very last minute to take a quick weekend trip to Chattanooga.
We left Sunday after church and returned last night.
These spontaneous trips are always the most fun.
Here's a peek at our action packed two-day getaway.

I only post this picture so there is record that I am actually the mother of these children. I am never in pictures. This is fuzzy because I had to take a picture of the photo that the little man took of us at the Tennessee Aquarium.

This makes for a GREAT drive to Chattanooga. They fell asleep before we got to Murfreesboro and woke up as we were about 10 minutes from the hotel.
We spent the first evening swimming at The Chattanoogan (our favorite of the hotels in the area) and then grabbed some pizza at Mellow Mushroom.
The kids then soaked themselves in the street fountains.

Monday morning: The Children's Creative Discovery Museum
This place will see a lot more of us in the future. It is the most well thought out museum for children I have ever seen. We could have spent two days here and not run out of things to do. Here is Ethan enjoying the climbing equipment.

Ella Kate and Ethan exploring the water table areas. Mia and I were at a Landscape watercolor lesson. Mia was in heaven in the art studio area. She stayed there for at least an hour.

Ethan and Ella Kate in the Little Yellow House. This area was for younger preschoolers and toddlers. They LOVED this place.

Mia and Ella Kate working on a pastel drawing. Mia had already made several sculptures at a clay table and woven fabric on a loom. I sharpened my artistic skills at the still life center. I will spare you the drawing...I should keep my day job.

Ethan is not much into art unless it involves electronic equipment. This computer station was right up his alley.

This was so cool and we made several stops here.

Stop 2: IMAX Dolphins and Whales 3D movie
We made it for about 25 of the 40 minutes and then Ella Kate and Ethan had enough.
Ethan was hilarious...he kept trying to touch the whales and would say, "hey! You're a big fella!"

Stop 3: Tennessee Aquarium
Ocean Life and River Life
This is me holding a butterfly. This one had just hatched. Ella Kate was mesmerized and wanted so badly to hold one (while the two older kids were a bit apprehensive). Her slobbery little fingers just wouldn't hold one. Good for you butterflies, you would have been squashed. I feel very certain about that.

Our drive home out of the Smokies.
What a great view of the mountain after a rainstorm.