fall break in chattanooga!

to be honest, fall break is still kind of a random thing to me, because we didn’t have it growing up!? so, it’s basically not even on my radar, and then it pops up and surprises me with freedom!!! i love it. and while i would typically prefer to just take it as time off from the school schedule and enjoy cozy blankets and slow mornings with lots of coffee, steven had a work trip to chattanooga that fell during our fall break this year. so! i didn’t hesitate to forego blankets for family elsewheres. we had so much fun!

a late and adorable arrival on a wednesday night! it’s not too far from us, just a couple of hours and a time zone switch. we took off after dinner and the two bigger babes watched paw patrol in the car the whole way! aaand let’s not talk about poor luca’s tears. he cried a good bit, but still did better than either of his siblings would have as babies, let’s just say!

i had forgotten what hotel stays with a mobile baby are like! so much…… touching…….. the floor! but hotels equate to fun kid memories, always, and i love that.

we stayed right next to the children’s museum, and that kind of proximity was the best. thing. ever.

i have to say, the art section was definitely my favorite!! but everything was super cute. and oh, there were just…. soooo many things to touch. which is the whole idea! but really, to be a fun, traveling mom, i honestly have to let go of the gross factor of all the things that all the humans touch after wiping their nose or scratching their tush or walking through bathrooms or whatever. thank goodness for immune systems, but still, this is my mind! [although, i really never worried that much until rocco was about luca’s age and introduced me to little boy life… haha!]

we stopped to meet sweet friends for lunch!!! it was such a perfect afternoon to bask on a porch and let kiddos play with rocks [or try to eat rocks if you’re luca], and it made me so happy! also, rocco is donning a little of his PBJ on his face here, and isn’t childhood beautiful like that?

hotel naps just don’t. get. any. cuter.

aaand back to the museum for the last hour that it was open!! the two bigger babes begged to go back, and i knew i’d be in big trouble if we didn’t make it! i loved watching them jump into every scenario and figure it out. seriously… they’re just the best.

then steven wrapped up his work stuff for the day, and we walked down to the riverfront, where we stumbled upon… the niña and the pinta?! replicas, of course. they were so beautiful out there on the water, and i was probably more excited than anyone to go check them out! you know i love a good historical experience!

ummm let’s just say… i will be sailing zero oceans blue. not on these vessels or any other! but they were so cool. also, i asked him where the santa maria was, and apparently, she was basically the worst ship ever. so. there’s that.

don’t you love when you can just hit up a good ole chain pizza restaurant. I DO! hello, mellow mushroom. we arrived at you just in time. then, we ended the night with full bellies and american ninja warrior alternating with the office on the hotel tv.

the next day: a rainy day aquarium visit! and it was ohhh so much better than the 4th grade field trip experience that was my previously dominant aquarium memory! this is because they’ve apparently added a building since i was 10, and said building is – apparently – the key to my enjoyment.

rocco was so dedicated to petting the sting rays, he got soaking wet, and they gave him a t-shirt to change into!! thank goodness, too, because he was drenched. haha. i love that child!! really, though, we heard “pet the sting rays” and i mean, SAY NO MORE! we booked it to the closest little swimmy friend! also, maddalena overcame the fact that she wanted to but she really, really didn’t want to, and we were so proud of her!!!

recuperating by replaying our sting ray petting footage! haha!

let’s just say… i appreciate a summer-like temperature, but the butterfly gardens had me totally sweating. photo by maddalena!

I LOVE PENGUINS!!

…do do, do doooo do

this tube situation [where you crawl underneath a very dark area into a small opening and pop your head up as if you’re inside the tank] was a moment of total and complete claustrophobia for me. also, what even ARE THOSE THINGS!

two whole buildings of little creatures, done and done!!

we finished our trip with a lunch reunion before heading out!! it’s so crazy to get together with old friends and see how many little humans you suddenly have running about. our six littlests were so cute together, and it’s always so good to catch up!

AND SO!!! there it is. our little trip in a nutshell. a blogshell, really. 🙂

ps. trip video!!