Gwinnett Environmental Center

My sister Jennifer was in town and her last day with us we decided to take the kids out of school and go to a pumpkin patch...however, the heavy rain the day before and day of made us rethink the idea of spending the day outside walking through a muddy farm pumpkin patch.  

After much debate we decided to go to the Gwinnett Environmental Center.  It was really fun (and dry!) and not a bad way to spend a rainy day.

 We started by eating lunch--the views were fantastic and we could see all the plants they had growing on the roofs.

 They had a room full of interactive displays about water--the water cycle, erosion, pollution, water ways, hydro power, etc.

 They had a crime lab set up where they gave you a case and clues (fingerprints, writing samples, all kinds of forensic and other evidence).  You could watch interviews with the suspects and collect all your clues.  Once you had a guess as to who was guilty you could go to a separate room to see the interview of the guilty guy who explained why and how he did it.  The kids started by taking mug shots--they gave us their best bad guy face!

I think Carter had the best bad guy face.

 Aaron's bad guy looked more like a lost puppy!

 Aaron looking at fingerprint samples from the suspects and at the end were fingerprints found at the scene.  The clipboard was used to write down all of your information you collected.

 After the crime scene we went and watched a movie on water resources and water conservation.  After the movie Aaron told me that it was a scary movie!  I knew my kids were scared of movies that weren't scary (we had to leave the Muppets movie in Disney World), but being scared of a educational movie on water conservation was a new low (high?).

 Had to take pictures with Jennifer before she left.

 Carter is the master of pulling a face in every picture taken of him.

Alex wanted a picture with Gavin--Alex LOVES Gavin--he is always doing everything he can with Gavin and sits by him at every family dinner.  You might think that he would be more interested in the kids closer to his own age, but Gavin is the one he likes the best!