Yesterday the kids and I had a great time visiting the Science Museum of Virginia. I’ve visited the museum since I was a kid and have always loved it.

This year we got a family membership for Christmas and because we have had pretty crappy weather so far this year, we have quickly become regulars (I apologize to the staff).

Yesterday’s trip was a milestone for us. Over the years I have taken Wednesday’s friends with us on all kind of museum, zoo and park outings, but yesterday was my first outing with one of MC Bizzy J’s friends.  We had a really great time and I learned just how different boys and girls really are.

Boys are LOUD. I knew this about MC Bizzy J but thought it was just a stage he would soon grow out of.

I have now given up hope.

Don’t get me wrong, Wednesday and her friends can be noisy and rambunctious, but after a few squeals and bear hugs they are usually very reserved and composed in public.

Not MC Bizzy J and his crew.

Our Science Museum is in an old train station, the atrium has a huge vaulted ceiling, that creates a very nice echo. I have to admit that hearing it is a great motivation to use your outdoor voice, but because it didn’t seem like the boys would ever get over the excitement of the echo, I thought we might need a couple rules for the day. All of the exhibits are interactive so all we really needed were no yelling and no running. For sanity and safety.

Everyone agreed that those were fair rules, for exactly ten seconds.

The first screams came from MC Bizzy J himself, after running, head first, into a five foot wide marble column. I was so confused about how his could have happened that I pretty much gave up on the rules.

Wednesday was a great help to me all day, trying to help the boys with the exhibits….


She first won them over in the insect and reptile lab, where she encouraged them to be brave and pet the snake.
They “politely” declined the offer to hold the Madagascar Hissing Cockroach (this pic is actually from our last visit, I was too busy having a panic attack to take a picture this time, praying the boy’s screams of “EW! GROSS!” and their wild arm flailing didn’t send that nasty beast flying in my direction. I still feel like something is crawling on me.),  but were wowed by her bravery.
She was a hero. She could read and reach the toys that were on the top shelves. She offered to hold hands during the Planetarium show and when the boys were still scared, she admitted that she was sometimes afraid of the dark too.
After lunch she lead the great potty break revolt. Her soldiers marched behind me chanting “we are angry at you” with very serious scowls on their little faces.
She picked the souvenirs the boys would like best in the gift shop and directed all elevator button pushing. She was on top of the world.
She then decided to organize the pyramid building…
Things started out a little rocky.

But she was able to get things under control pretty quickly.

All that hard work wore the boys out, so they cut out for an early break.
Unfortunately, the job was nowhere close to done.

Wednesday learned the valuable lesson that if you want a job done right it is best to do it yourself.


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But sadly, just as quickly as it had begun, her reign as coolest big sister in the whole world was over.


WTF!?