A visit to the Butterfly Pavilion

Daycare was closed after the Fourth of July so mom had to figure out how to tire out the kids! On Thursday we went with neighbor and her grandson to the Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster. We got there when they opened and ran circles around the place!

There is a room with large, live bugs and spiders. We went there first and saw the cockroaches, walking sticks, bee hive and other things that I'd rather only see behind glass. Gavin let Rosie, the tarantula, walk on his hand not once but twice. (Sorry, no photos of that). He said she tickled as she walked from his hand back to the handler. By far the most exciting thing in the room was the machine that you can insert two quarters and a penny into and turn the handle to make an impression into the penny. We didn't add money it but it was still fun to turn the handle over and over again!

Next we visited the room with fish! There is a tank with huge starfish and a few places for the kids to walk up and touch the sea creatures. Gavin touched a starfish and a horseshoe crab.

Next it was on to the butterfly room. It was much more humid than I remembered it in the past. I carried Trevor while Gavin and his buddy ran on in (after stopping in the blower room to make sure no butterflies escaped). We were off. Gavin and Zachary buzzed around and around - finding butterflies in the air, on the trees and plants and on the ground. Trevor enjoyed looking up to see what was flying above his head then at the plants where the butterflies were landing.

Gavin stopped and watched the butterflies when he wasn't chasing Zachary around the room. We had to leave a few times because the humidity was starting to bother Gavin (and mom) but after a short while, we went back! We also saw little turtles, coy and a tortoise.

The last room we visited was a play area. There was a maze, some large flowers and butterflies for the kids to climb on and a net walkway to "walk across the rain forest" on. Gavin and Zachary wore holes in the carpet with their speed from one activity to the next. Trevor enjoyed crawling on and around the flowers and watching the big kids!

After our visit we stopped at Jamba Juice (compliments of Uncle Bruce!) then headed home. It wasn't long before the chattering in the back seat stopped and there were two sleeping boys behind me! Success at last! Got em both home and into their beds for nap time!