Museums - San Diego Day Ten

The other day I was thinking about our vacation and wishing that I could live life like I do on our trips. I clean more, read more, exercise more, and spend more quality time with my family. But today I realized why I don't, it is exhausting! I could sleep for a week!

Our morning view

The boys with their medals

We started off this morning with a photo shoot down by our beach. I think we got some good pictures out of it but it was hard to keep the kids straight when all they wanted to do was swim in the ocean. The waves here are a bit treacherous and while Will and Jon are old enough to keep an eye out I had to hold onto Christian's hand the whole time. But we did get some good pictures of the boys, although I won't share them here because I'm saving them for Christmas.

Jon leaping from the rocks

Jonny in the air

Christian jumps down to the sand

The boys in front of our house on the hill

After the photo shoot and a little rest we drove out to Balboa Park to visit the museums. We had a hard time finding parking so James dropped me and the boys off at the science museum while he and his mom went to see the miniature trains. On our walk to the museum Will, in the lead, called back to us "Hurry! There's no time to lose my fellow inventors!" He was so excited. 

Balboa Park

Normally I hate to give a bad review about a place but I was not at all impressed with the children's science museum. The kids did have a good time but it was pretty small, especially considering the price of admission. They actually did have space, but it was not utilized particularly well and it made the already sparse displays feel even smaller. 

Keith Moon

Hawkman

I shouldn't be too harsh though, the kids did have a good time. At one point Will and Jon were off on their own (across the hall) while I was in the little kids room with Christian. Suddenly Jon came running back "Christian, come look what we found! Hurry!" He led us to a hallway whose walls were covered with long blue lights. "Look! It's the speed of light!" he yelled as he raced down the hall. I have no idea what the lights were actually for but the boys were so happy to find a place where they could pretend to run at the speed of light. I think it was their favorite thing there. 

The speed of light

Will practices being an announcer

I had expected to spend the afternoon at the museum but in less than 45 minutes we were done. James and Camille had finished the train museum too so we left to meet them. Apparently the miniature trains were awesome, I wish we had gone there instead!

A huge and beautiful tree in Balboa Park that we cannot climb.

Since it was still early in the afternoon we walked next door to the Natural History Museum ,which Will had also wanted to visit. The first thing we saw was the dinosaur exhibit which was pretty neat. Will kept saying that he felt so sorry for the poor dinosaurs and Jon came up with a plan to invent a time travel machine so he could go back and save them. Dinosaurs were on their mind at the zoo too where Will had wished they could be in an exhibit. I can't wait until he is old enough to see Jurassic Park.

Will and Jon with a new friend

Jon's picture of a dinosaur

Christian on a manatee

Jon takes a picture of a shark

The Natural History Museum was pretty cool but also rather small. They did have a skull exhibit that fascinated the boys and a great water exhibit with some small animals. But again we found ourselves done with the museum in less than an hour. I think that we have been far too spoiled by all the amazing museums in Boston and Washington D.C.! 

Will and Jon hug a baby mammoth

Jon draws a mammoth

Jon's picture of a mammoth

It wasn't quite 4 when we left Balboa park. I was so exhausted, mostly from swimming yesterday, all I wanted to do was go home and sleep. But James and Jon really wanted to try out this Japanese restaurant called Gyo-Kaku. James had been to them before, in Honolulu and Boston, and loved it. I was willing but skeptical. I am a bit of a picky eater and have yet to find any Chinese or Indian food that I am able to eat so I was not optimistic about Japanese food. 

James is excited for dinner

Will and Jon are ready to eat!

The food was amazing! Incredible! It was by far the best meal that we've had here and the best I've had in a long time. Oh my goodness, I cannot possibly describe how good it was. First we had tons of appetizers, fantastic fried chicken bites, salad, little puffs filled with cheese, rice balls, miso soup and edamame. Jon loved the edamame, which look like peas, and ate almost all of it. 

Christian tries miso soup

Christian shells edamame for Daddy

Then came the main dishes. Not only was it delicious but the food was also really fun to prepare! Each table had a grill in the middle and the meat arrived in small, almost bite sized, pieces that you cook yourself. The boys were crazy about it. Jon declared himself "the best steak cooker" and always had at least three pieces on the grill. The meat itself was fantastic. We had eight different types of marinated meat, some of them double portions, and all of it was good. The sirloin steak was my particular favorite and disappeared quickly. 

"The best steak cooker"

Jon's picture of our dinner

Christian wanted to sit with Daddy

Will is like me and skeptical about strange food but even he loved the chicken and steak. There was one dish that only James could eat because it was too hot for the rest of us. Christian too enjoyed the food. He can use chopsticks! He ate a huge bowl of rice covered in all the meat James and I could cook for him. Our table was completely covered with food and every time we finished one the waiter would bring over more. It was a feast! 

Our full table

Will and Jon cooking their own meat

Christian using chopsticks!

It took us over two hours to eat and the kids were so entertained with the cooking process they didn't get antsy at all. After we ate every bite the waiter brought over dessert, S'mores! It was the perfect way to end the meal. James has been wanting to go to Tokyo for years and if this is Japanese food then I am ready to book the trip!

S'mores!

We stopped by a store on the way home and while we were waiting in the car Will and Jon amused themselves by taking pictures. I was immersed in a book when I heard Jon's voice saying, "I just took a picture of... heaven? We can photoshop some angels in there." I love my Jonny, he always makes me laugh!

Jon's picture of heaven

Give a kid a camera...

But now it is time for bed. Tomorrow we have one last hurrah before heading home on Tuesday. Goodnight!