Boston Fun

Today, we Rowe girls had a fun day with some friends in the city.  We visited Fanueil Hall to get ice cream and watch a performance by what I can only think to call a "Yo-Yo Acrobat," rode the Greenway Carousel, and visited the New England Aquarium:

 The Yo-Yo Acrobat

 Aquarium Touch Tank

 The girls and their friends petting some rays

Riding the carousel


The most exciting part of the Aquarium for all the kids was the touch tank of rays and sharks.  Both Madeleine and Julia petted the backs of multiple rays, and Julia even braved a shark petting.  We missed out on one exhibit, however, due to a combination of time running out and a mis-labeling of a sea creature.  It turns out that Julia cannot differentiate between the highly intelligent octopus and another, completely brainless creature that also has multiple dangling "legs."

JULIA: Mom?  Before we go, can we see the octopus?
ME: Sure.  Here.  Let's follow the signs to the octopus.
JULIA: But I thought the octopus was downstairs!
ME: No, this sign says to go this way.  Look!  Here's the octopus!

MADELEINE: Awwww!  The cutie OCTOPUS!
JULIA: No, that's not what I meant!  I meant those octopus that are in that downstairs room that glow in the dark.
ME: Do you mean the jellyfish?
JULIA: Oh.  Yeah.  I mean the jellyfish.


So, unfortunately, we didn't get to see the octopus jellyfish, due to the fact that Julia, Madeleine and I had to depart from the city earlier than our friends in order to get Julia to her swim team practice.  While I managed to score a gourmet dinner of grilled cheese from Dunkin' Donuts for Julia, I still had to cook something up for Madeleine and I once we were home. I finished cooking with just a few minutes to spare before needing to shuttle Julia off to the pool, and I was literally shovelling heaping forkfuls of linguini into my mouth to try and get myself quickly fed, when Madeleine came up with the urgent question of the hour.

MADELEINE: Mama.  Which one do you want to WIN?  The pen or the pencil?
ME: Mmmmahmmmm. (stuffing a twisted fork full of pasta into my mouth)
MADELEINE: Mama.  Which one?
ME: Mmmmmahmmm.
MADELEINE: But Mama.  Which on do you want to WIN?
ME: Uh, I don't know.
MADELEINE: Look Mama. (holding out her hand, in which she was holding a mechanical pencil and a golden pen.)
ME: Uh...the pen.
MADELEINE: Why??
ME: Mmmmmahmmm (resuming my inhalation of dinner)
MADELEINE: I want the PENCIL to win.
ME: Okay.
MADELEINE: Pencils are WAY better, because if you make a mistake, you can ERASE it!

Good thing Madeleine set me straight.  What good was getting out the door on time with food in my belly if I didn't know that pencils are better than pens?  I was rooting for the wrong writing instrument all this time.  Next Pencil vs Pen election cycle, I'll cast my vote for the pencil, instead.