Naturally...

The big boys are currently both obsessed with and petrified of bugs of all kinds. They squeal and scream and run when so much as a housefly comes near them lately. I know this is partially brought on by our new, more bug-friendly surroundings as well as the run-in with the swarms of cicada killers that took over our yard and our friend's yard a couple weeks ago.... but ya'll... it's bad... very bad. So bad that they will not even get in the car on the side that is parked nearest our garden, for fear that something will fly near them.

(sigh)

But then, on the other hand, they also both love looking at books about bugs, Ben's collection of real bugs that are encased in plastic cubes, and any dead bugs that they find around the house or outside. (when I can even get them to go outside these days!)

So, we set out this weekend to find a "bug zoo".

A bunch of people recommended the Irvine Nature Center, which is about a half hour's drive from our house. Sounded cool and it was FREE FREE FREE! Can't beat that... so off we went today.

The Nature Center itself, is AWESOME. It's one small building with a ton of neat exhibits and hands on stuff. I have to admit when I read about it online, I thought there was a little more to it... but even as it was, it was cool and we spent a good 40 minutes in there. After that, there are hiking trails with various other exhibits to see... owls and birds and chipmunks and whatnot.

The boys had an absolute blast until we tried to get them out on one of the shorter hiking trails. They wouldn't go NEAR it. There was screaming and screeching and tears and so we packed it in right then and there. I'd say they screamed like little girls, but actually, I don't even know any little girls who can scream and screech as loud as they did, nor do I kno any little girls who would scream and screech and squeal when faced with a totally benign slightly wooded dirt walking trail. (In fact, I know a certain niece of mine who would LOVE LOVE LOVE this place.) Ben, however, was quite certain that a black widow spider was going to jump out from a tre, yell "Boo!" and gnaw on him after which a cobra was going to come along and finish him off. No lie... he could not be convinced that these were not creatures we would run into. He was also afraid there would be poison ivy. Man-eating poison ivy, apparently. Simon is basically afraid of whatever Ben is afraid of, so he just joined right in pitching a fit about giant snakes and lizards and cicadas we might encounter.

Anyway, if it hadn't been for that, I have to say, the place was so cool that we were a breath away from springing for the annual membership. (there is a cool natural playground thing for kids and some other perks that are only for members) We told the boys we'd go back when they were feeling braver and, frankly, when it's a LOT cooler outside. (I was silently quite happy they weren't feeling the hiking on the trail thing today!!)

To his credit, Ben DID touch a snake, a toad and a frog!