Fun at the Aquarium

Yesterday I went to the Long Beach Aquarium with my SIL and my two nephews, as this is the last week of summer vacation before school starts. We had a fun time and both of my nephews enjoyed getting to see and touch the sting rays and sharks at the "Shark Lagoon". It was interesting to feel the difference between the rays (very slick and smooth) and the small hammerhead shark (almost like human skin). A lot of the pictures that I tried taking inside the exhibits didn't come out, as you were not allowed to use the flash when taking pictures (very unstandably so), but these are some of the better ones I was able to get. I especially was intrigued by the seahorses and seadragons. There was one called a "leafy sea dragon" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leafy_sea_dragon) and is the one in the photos - it was just fascinating! We also saw sea lions, otters, various fish, big clams (I had never seen one opened before today - it was amazing to see their "mouth"), and small jelly fish that were incredible - they looked like little neon signs with different colors - they were really something to see. They had tube-like structures that looked like those lights in tubes that change colors and flash. Really wild! I wish I could have gotten a picture of them.

I hope everyone had a great summer. It sure did go by fast. We've been very lucky here in So. Cal. not to have had a real hot summer, but I'm sure that will change - it always does when the kids go back to school. It always seems to heat-up and stay hot until October, when the Santa Ana Winds kick-in. I just pray that we don't have any wildfires this year.

On the crafting front, I have completed my heart charms, added them to the bracelet, and am now in the process of making charms with crystals and then it will be finished! I will share pictures of it in the next day or so. I think it turned out really cute and I know I will be wearing it a lot.