Farmer's markets, the USS midway and fish tacos

The Birch Aquarium

Honestly. Transfixed by Leafy sea dragons. Until I visited the Birch Aquarium I did not even know these creatures existed. But there they were in preternatural undulations. The closest thing to a living breathing dragon that I have ever seen. Their slow motion dance to unseen currents and fantastic forms was engrossing. Patrick and the kids had to go explore the rest of the aquarium while I hovered, glued to the one tank, for 40 minutes trying to get a good shot through the glass despite their constant movement.

 The aquarium has interactive environmental exhibits and a large kelp forest.

 Adlai bravely touched a sea cucumber.

Shark eggs.

The San Diego Zoo and Coronado

We headed straight to the polar bears and were rewarded with the female doing laps and underwater backflips. It was mesmerizing to see her swim and kick off just like a distance athlete.

 Valentine's Day and someone hired a plane to write cloud messages in the sky.

 The baby panda slept belly up while mama ate bamboo.

Coronado beach was flecked with gold and accompanied by the roar of helicopters and military planes taking off overhead.

The kids only paused briefly in their mission of building sand creations and trucking buckets of salt water.

We had thick milkshakes and burgers for dinner and had a wonderful Valentines Day together.

Legoland

 Legoland was very impressive. Yes, this is a full size, scale model of an SUV.

Patrick and I spent some time admiring the Star Wars area. Kaya and Adlai were mystified. Clearly we are aging and must expose our progeny to old pulp culture.

 How can one not smile at this sign?

Patrick set his personalized ride to level 5 of 5 and was twisted and hurled towards the moat with alacrity.

We stopped for strawberries picked right from the fields for the long slog back though California freeway traffic.