Independence Day-Trip

The 4th of July is always one of our highlights of Summer, normally we like to cook out with friends or visit Mike's parents at their beachfront condo but this year Mother Nature wasn't cooperating.  Good thing we had a 'Plan B'.  The Florida Aquarium was on my 'summer to-do list', when I heard that they were celebrating Independence Day with discounted admission prices & extended hours, I jumped at the idea!  Have fun, escape the rain AND save money?  SOLD!  We packed up a few things and left for Tampa!

From left to right: the Tampa Teco Streetcar, the Aquarium, a Carnival cruise ship getting ready to set sail & the East edge of Channelside.

Checking out some stingrays.

Mike is eying the snook!

We LOVE mermaids!

Overlooking the Eel Splash Pad towards downtown Tampa.  We brought the girls their swim suits in hope that the weather would clear up... but no such luck.

The jellies...

The biggest stingray I ever saw!  Swimming with the sharks of course.  I couldn't get any good pictures of the sharks because it was really crowded and they were way TOO fast... we didn't get to see the divers in the tank either.  Right before the 6pm Shark Encounter show another storm rolled in. If there's lighting in the area the divers can't get into the water with metal tanks on their backs.  Bummer.

Nemo!

ICK!  Octopus!

Having some fun in the gift shop while Daddy checks the radar, since another stormed rolled in, the aquarium was extremely crowded.  Everyone who was OUTside on the splash pads or at the Cantina had to come INside.  We still had two more hours to wait to 'possibly' see the Channelside fireworks.  It was a hard call to make.  We deliberated for about another 1/2 hour and then decided to head for home.

When we got back to our neck of the woods, the skies were clearing just in time for sunset.  YAY!!  Mike hates traffic but loves blowing things up so he talked me into stopping by the fireworks store.  4th of July is definitely my neighbors' favorite holiday because every year my neighborhood sounds and looks like a war zone. Mike was thrilled to contribute!  The girls had fun popping snaps & lighting sparklers.  After we were done, we came in and watched our local news channel to see the fireworks display in downtown SRQ.  All in all the day & night worked out great.  We had a great afternoon at the Florida Aquarium, we got to set off and enjoy our neighborhood fireworks and the girls were in bed by 10:30!