Midway Museum

We started out today a bit lazy. I sent Don downstairs to enjoy a quiet breakfast and coffee as a treat, as he has driven almost the entire trip. I managed to get in a shower before the kids woke-up, which was odd, they all slept late! We managed to get laundry done this morning, which was one of the necessary things while we are in San Diego. Funny - the kids were thrilled to ride the elevator and play follow-the-leader while we waited for our laundry. It really is the simple things.

After a yummy breakfast we went to the Midway Museum. It's a retired naval air craft carrier that is just down the street from the hotel. For those that don't know it, Don was on an air craft carrier, the Nimitz, for 3 years while he was in the Navy. And, ironically, the Nimitz is at port in San Diego right now!

On the flight deck of the Midway.
Notice Anna is actually pulling Dominick's hair!


Fighter Pilot D


Wandering around the Midway Museum was an experience. It is a fully-loaded museum with an audio tour, lots of signage to read about how the carrier works, how many people are typically aboard a carrier, and just showing off it's immense size and capabilities. The highlight for the boys - all the jets/airplanes that were in the museum. They were slightly disappointed they couldn't go on the flight simulators that had at the museum. They had a video camera on people as they experience the flight simulation and it was a bit too rough for them. For me, it was cool to walk around a carrier with Don, as I have heard the stories over the years and it was just fascinating to actually see it all.




This is as close as I could get to the Nimitz for a photo.





After the Museum, off we went to another fun place for the kids - Mission Bay. We played in the sunshine, the kids played football, Anna & I spent some time blowing bubbles and picking flowers.




Spill your bubbles? Make hand prints.


Survival Tip of The Day: While touring a retired carrier/museum and wandering through the Chapel on the ship, be sure to always hold the hand of your three year old. Anna wandered underneath a roped-off area in the chapel and a security camera started beeping and asking for a code for access!! We about fell over in shock and laughed about it. Matteo, of course, thought we were going to be escorted off the ship/out of the Museum.




We are leaving San Diego tomorrow morning. Don and I are bit sad - we have truly enjoyed the sunshine and heat. I'm not sure I'll have time to blog after this because of time on the road and the hotels in our future. The Embassy Suites has been sooo good to us!


We head to a town just outside the Grand Canyon tomorrow. Friday will be filled with fun at the south rim of the Grand Canyon and a drive towards a town just outside of Mesa Verde National Park. After our fun there on Saturday, we head north towards Provo, UT or Salt Lake City, UT, depending how far we can get and we'll be heading home after one last stop in Boise, ID. We're guessing we'll be home by Monday at the latest. The kids are excited to see what the Easter Bunny will have left at our house when we return. This is a first - we have always been home on Easter. I'm sure the Easter Bunny will be good to our road-tripping kiddo's.


The kids are excited to see where we end up next and what it is all about. Dominick did tell me that Mrs. Evans, his library teacher, told him he should hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. We'll be sure to let you know how that all works out!