Lookit The Fishies!

Instead of getting a new TV or game console for the family for Christmas this year, we're taking several mini families trips in our area. We've already done a big expensive dinner together which is super rare. Still on our calendars are the bowling trip and the movie trip, but today we did our trip to the Aquarium in Pine Knoll Shores. It's been years since we've walked through the fish filled building, but it was nice to walk through with all the Christmas trees up and the lights all over the place. Even the big brass critter structures had Santa hats. It was adorable.

Although my phone has a good camera on it, I wish I had a professional one to take some really great pictures. But here are a few things I saw that I thought were cool...

This is an albino baby loggerhead turtle discovered on our beach a few months back. Since I'm in the media, I heard about it the day after they found the cute little thing. I was so glad to get to see him after hearing so much. Since he's unable to survive in the wild, he's going to live a long spoiled life in the aquarium.

Every other time I've been here, the octopus has been hiding in a corner taking a nap. But today he was swimming around giving us a show! He moved all over the tank and stretched his tentacles from one side to the other. For the first time in all my years going to this place, he finally let me take a decent picture.

I love Jellyfishies. As long as their behind glass and not wrapped around my legs, of course. Every time I see them, I think of the movie Finding Nemo. Honestly, I'm surprised it took me until this point to think of the movie! That tells me I need to watch it again. Jellyman!

I can't remember what this one is called, but it cracked me up. It looks so sad and disapproving! I made fun of it, and then it looked all the more disapproving. I love it.

Since we're in a big fishing community, the Aquarium featured many fish that are often caught by our fisherman. They had a tank of Bluefish, and I wanted to take one home and fry it up. As if my mouth wasn't watering enough, they sold fish cookbooks in the gift shop. Is it just me or is it a little weird that they're selling cookbooks at an Aquarium?

There were a couple places at the Aquarium that we sat at for about 10 minutes just watching the animals. One of the otters was having a blast making laps in the pool and annoying his sleeping friends. He was a bit of a show off really. He proved he could swim upside down, but that doesn't mean he has to do it 20 times, ya know? We also sat for a while in front of the giant shipwreck exhibit filled with sharks, loggerhead turtles, and other fishies. It was a very relaxing view, even though the sharp teeth on the sharks kinda freaked me out.

Looking at all the critters, I was amazed at God's creativity and originality. Our little Aquarium houses only a very tiny portion of what God has made and it blows my mind that there are things at the bottom of the ocean that we haven't even discovered yet. But what amazes me even more is that He made all of this and still cares for me. Like, wow.