Drumheller and The Royal Tyrrell Museum

I am not too sure what it is about Drumheller, but once again we are celebrating our wedding anniversary there . . . we have been married for thirteen years and we have spent two anniversaries there.  It is funny how things sometimes work itself out.  One big difference is that we have one more child in tow as Emma was not born yet.  The first time we were here, Michelle and I enjoyed a Chinese take out dinner from a local grocery store that we ate in the trailer.  This year, we all headed out to Boston Pizza for our anniversary dinner in Drumheller for some good eats. 

I think the township of Drumheller should trim some of their bushes.  How many pictures have been ruined because of this bush.

A Boston Brute, fries and a root beer, who could go wrong.

It was fun going back to the Royal Tyrrell Museum again with the kids as we were able to share some of the stories and experiences from the last time we were here.  

When we got to the museum in the morning, we did the short hike around the museum since the sun wasn’t blazing yet.  The boys enjoyed running around the natural playground that Mother Nature had provided them.  Emma pretended to be a zero year old, yes a zero year old, learning to walk, talk, and run.  Michelle always comes up with these games with her to keep her appeased and moving forward.  My solution is, “come on Emma, quit whining and lets move” . . . I guess Michelle’s strategy seems to keep everyone happy, including me.

We enrolled the kids in a couple of classes at the museum.  The boys did a class called Jr. Dig Experience where they got to excavate in a realistic quarry.   They walked about 2 km where they learned about an excavation site and the process of removing bones from the earth.  This was the first time that our boys have been in a program where we were not there . . . oh the freedom . . . two gone Emma to go.  The boys had a blast in the program asking lots of interesting questions according to teacher Fred. 

Emma was enrolled in a program called, Dino Adventure Hour, where she got to learn about dinosaurs, hold real fossils and work in an indoor dig.  She also got to make a funky hat with dinosaur stickers on it.  

Michelle decided that she would go with Emma . . . so what did this mean to me??  FREEDOM!!!  So what did I do with my time with no family you ask . . . well, I took my time taking in the museum slowing down and reading the many things that I missed the last time we were here.  No seriously, I must admit that I was drawn to the cafeteria a couple of times, but I resisted the temptation to buy anything . . . no really!!  I know it is hard to believe.  Love my kids, but they go for what’s interesting to them visually, which I understand.  So this was my chance to read the different stories and facts that went along with many of the displays. 

When we regrouped as a family after the programs were over, we walked through the museum together.  This time around I was able to experience the museum through the eyes of my kids and looking at things that they thought were interesting.  An awesome experience both times!

After the day at the museum, we picked up some rocks that the kids could excavate using the skills that they learned in their course.   The kids found several polished rocks inside their pieces.