We were given a gift membership to the Tennessee Aquarium for Christmas. The kids couldn't wait to go for our first trip, so we planned to go with Bethany and family the end of January. Jon and Adrian took off and came with us as well! I took so many pictures that I'm splitting it up into three posts. This first one is all pictures with the kids in them.
As soon as we arrived we set up with a picnic in the parking lot. We parked across the street from the Aquarium and didn't want to tote all our food over there and then back to the car. So we just plopped down on the ground. Bethany told me to get a quick picture of the scene!
Mercy being silly in the parking lot.
Before we went in we wanted to get a picture of all the kids by the sign. The sun was shining in their eyes, so we tried to be quick!
Adrian and Jon took everyone except Patrick up on the bridge. Bethany and I stayed below to take pictures.
Cheyenne climbing on one of the neat rocks in front of the aquarium.
The kiddos heading up the big escalator in the River Journey building. This is one of the few things I distinctly remembered about coming as a kid.
Looking out at the walking bridge before heading into the exhibits.
The kids looking into the first big tank we came to.
The kids loved being able to touch some of the animals. Here they are petting a sturgeon. I didn't get many pictures of this because I had to touch one too!
A Bethany photo bomb!
We got to see a baby alligator snapping turtle up close. Paige wasn't too sure about it.
I was walking a few feet behind several of the kids when I walked into this room and saw Sophia and Shelby hiding behind the giant turtle shell.
In the main room with the winding walkway and big tanks, we had the chance to see a scuba diver feeding some of the fish. Some of his family was there and had a white board to write questions to ask him and our kids joined in. They enjoyed "talking" to him and watching the fish eat.
Over to the Ocean Journey building, and there was another tank to pet animals. This time the kids got to pet a sting ray!
Near the penguin exhibit: can you tell the kids were getting tired?
Sophia and Keira holding butterflies in the little butterfly house they have.
Even Mercy wanted to hold one!
The jellyfish were so neat! I only got a few pictures because my battery was dying. Here's Cheyenne peering into one of the tanks.
Bethany took a family picture of us by the one of the tanks.
After leaving the aquarium, we spotted this brick couch and I had to make my kids take a picture. Clayton wasn't really as upset about it as he looks.
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