The Mission and Aquarium

On Monday we visited the Mission San Juan Bautista.

 Mckay and Joseph forgot to consult each other on wardrobe that day and they both wore orange shirts with khaki shorts.

I couldn't keep them apart all day.

It was really neat looking around the mission, seeing the gardens, architecture, and the giant pot where they cooked the children.

 Totally kidding. I'm actually not sure what the pot was for (possibly candle making?), but Dallin liked being inside it.

The chapel was really old and cool looking. Of course, no building named after John the Baptist would be complete without a painting of the baptism, a water basin, and a dove suspended over head on a chain and pulleys.

From there, we went to Monterey and got lunch at Louie Linguini's. The fried artichoke hearts were amazing.

 Even Mckay ate them. He said, "You can make anything delicious by deep frying it and serving it with a chipotle ranch sauce."

Dallin would pick off the fried batter and eat the artichokes straight. He definitely has some California blood in him.

Then we moved on to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

 Dallin was mesmerized by all the tanks of sea creatures.

Connor had a pretty good time sitting the stroller and eating his shoes.

 Mom and Joseph dueling with dolphin flippers.

 There is a room with a domed clear glass wall and ceiling. A huge amount of water is dumped on it and you watch it fall down the sides.

Dallin had to be holding onto someone every time the water came crashing down. He was fascinated by it, but also just a little scared of it. 

Getting ready for the splash.

We admired the giant octopus. I'm sure it could have eaten all of us.

There was a pool where you could touch the sea life.

We chatted with the aquarium worker by the touch pool for a minute while Dallin continued playing in the water. After a minute we noticed that Dallin had collected all the nearby abalone shells and nested them inside each other, from biggest to smallest.

 

I don't know if I've mentioned before, but he LOVES anything that nests, stacks or fits inside another thing.

 He is so smart. And tidy.