Last month, my husband and older son went to Trail Life camp in Pennsylvania. I was glad they still got to go, but I was also a little concerned — between the virus situation and being on my own with the youngest for a week (he’s very social and he and his brother play together a lot, and I just am not a super amazing substitute for that.) I’m thrilled to report that all went well, and youngest and I had a lot of fun together.
One of the days, we hopped in the car and trekked up to the aquarium in Baltimore. I frequently look at the tickets and grumble when I multiply by four of us – so only needing to take two made it much more doable.
In the header, you can see a black tipped reef shark in the center and in the top left is another — that one is able to rest on the bottom instead of needing to be in constant motion and I’ve forgotten what kind that is.
Youngest is, as you might guess, enamored of all ocean critters, but especially sharks.
We’re heading into our final week of the Back-to-School Giveaway! We hope that you’ll continue to spend a little time with us each day – even when the big giveaway is over!
Winners this Week
If you’re a winner, you should have received an email from the author in charge of the giveaway. If not, please email us at: prizes at inspyromance dot com.
The gift card winners for August were Ausjenny and Paula Marie!
Narelle Atkins’ winner was Malvina!
Sally Bayless’ winner was Katy!
Congratulations!
Don’t forget… every comment you make qualifies you to win one of the monthly Amazon card giveaways!
Specials this Week
The Abundance Series by Sally Bayless is 99c 9/5 -11!
Tropical Kiss or Miss by Liwen Ho is FREE 9/6 – 9/8!
Reader Gathering
Did you know Inspy Romance hosts a Christian Romance Reader Gathering group on Facebook? This week, Valerie Comer will be taking over the group and it’s sure to be a lot of fun! Join us… but don’t forget to answer the questions for admittance!
Last Week on Inspy Romance
On Monday, Sally Bayless did an interview with Tara Grace Ericson!
On Tuesday, Shannon Taylor Vannatter talked about what she does between books.
On Wednesday, Toni Shiloh spotlighted her new book The Price of Dreams.
On Thursday, Jaycee Weaver introduced a lot of great books with teacher characters.
On Friday, Tara Grace Ericson did an interview with her character Senator Coulter.
On Saturday, Jan Thompson talked about the changing seasons.
Next Week on Inspy Romance
Monday: Janet Ferguson
Tuesday: Elizabeth Maddrey
Wednesday: Valerie Bodden
Thursday: Heather Gray (and the last day of the big giveaway!)
Friday: Staci Stallings
Saturday: Marion Ueckermann
New Releases
September 2020
Marry Me for Real, Cowboy (Cavanagh Cowboys Romance 1) by Valerie Comer
Finding Love for the Playboy (Matchmaking Moms of Oceanview Church 4) by Laurie Larsen
Ride with Me (Chapel Cove Romances 10) by Marion Ueckermann
Sing with Me (Seaside Chapel 3) by Jan Thompson
Lavender and Lace (Bloom Sisters 3) by Tara Grace Ericson
August 2020
Finding Love for the Workaholic (Matchmaking Moms of Oceanview Church 3) by Laurie Larsen
The Price of Dreams (Faith & Fortune 3) by Toni Shiloh
Not Until Someday (Hope Springs Book 7) by Valerie M. Bodden
A complete list of Inspy Romance books by our authors is always available on our BOOKS tab. Find our audiobooks, our permanently free e-books, and our thank-you gifts for newsletter subscribers there as well!
Elizabeth Maddrey is a semi-reformed computer geek and homeschooling mother of two who lives in the suburbs of Washington D.C. When she isn’t writing, Elizabeth is a voracious consumer of books. She loves to write about Christians who struggle through their lives, dealing with sin and receiving God’s grace on their way to their own romantic happily ever after.
Firstly thank you for the gift voucher.
I love going to the aquarium. I love the Vancouver aquarium and it was there I saw the sweet sea otters floating and holding hands. They are so adorable. I also like the colourful fish and the seahorses.
The Vancouver aquarium is a gem! We went there when we were doing an Alaskan cruise and had an extra day before we boarded.
Also you’re very welcome! Thanks for being such a faithful commenter.
I would love to go the Georgia Aquarium, I hear it is beautiful!
I got to visit the Georgia Aquarium and had so much fun there. It was part of a great vacation.
Hi Elizabeth. This blog reminded me of all the wonderful visits to Shedd’s Aquarium while living in Chicago in the 1980s. Our boys loved the big tank in the entrance hall. Daily diver’s swam among the fish. Back in the day – Fridays were free admission days to the Aquarium. I was sticker shocked when I saw the price of admission at the Shedd’s Aquarium, which is same price as Baltimore’s Aquarium. Would almost be cheaper to get a family membership. Yearly I purchase a family membership for our local children’s museum, which also gives me discounts to reciprocal children’s museums nation wide. Enjoy your Labor Day weekend, end of summer, beginning of fall.
Me too! They have a whale shark and save scuba in the Galapagos, it’s hard to get to see them. :)
Oh fun! Did you see the whale shark?
I loved going to the Shedd when in college outside Chicago. I think Friday was still free than, too, because I don’t remember sticker shock (or they had a good student price. Something.) It’s a great place!
My memory is not great. I took my oldest son to an aquarium when my youngest was just a baby, but I can’t remember where it was. Maybe Myrtle Beach? I would like to take my youngest now that he is 10 but not right now with the virus. Maybe next year.
I am glad all four of you had a wonderful time. I have done this with our two kiddos. Our son was in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. Then Civil War Reenacting. With the reenacting sometimes our daughter and I would go out and take pictures for the group. Our daughter is a fantastic photographer and she got some great photos. But during all those years the two of us would go all over and experience a Mother /Daughter bonding that is strong to this day, even though she lives in another state now. Thank you for this post today.
A lot of plans need to wait this year. But I hope you get another chance to go before too long.
Oh how fun! We’ve gone to see some reenactments – it’s always so cool to get that picture of living history.
I’ve been to the TN Aquarium in Chattanooga, but it was years ago. I’d love to go again! I haven’t been to the one in FL, it’s rather expensive, and on the other side of the state, so between the two, it isn’t doable yet. I hear there’s one up near St. Augustine and Jacksonville, so maybe I’ll make it up that way one day! Of course, I do live not far from the beach, but really don’t want to meet up with a shark there!
Ha. No. I do not need to run into a shark in the wild either!
I know I have been to an aquarium but it has been a LONG time. I can’t even remember where. My final frontier was always in the up direction. It’s good to see folks getting out and about again. Many happy returns of the week, y’all!
We have been to the aquarium in Houston. It was amazing to walk through. But my favorite spot was the section where you could “pet” sting rays and baby sharks. It was so awesome! The sting rays would come right up to the top of the tank so you could run your hands on their skin. The sharks did not. They were constantly moving and if you wanted to pet them, you put your hand in the tank, and touched them as they swam by. I could have stayed their all day!
It was nice to get out again for sure
The touch tanks were closed – we were very sad. I get it, but still, it would have been fun to pet the rays and jellies.
Visiting an Aquarium is definitely on my bucket list (there sure seem to be many options, and they all sound like fun!). Maybe someday :)
They’re definitely a lot of fun! I hope you get a chance.
Aquariums are so much fun, we try to pop into one when we are in other countries. I think thats a Wobbegong shark, they are from the carpet shark family :).
We visited the Sydney aquarium and must have spent nearly an hour just watching the Dugone’s playing with their toys.
Oh and the aquarium in New Caledonia has Nautilus so amazing to see.
Oooh, I’d love to see a real nautilus. I’ve seen videos and the empty shells, but never the actual animal. How cool.
Would love to go to the aquarium. Thank you for sharing.
I have more for the other Sundays in September :) So you can at least get a virtual trip in.
I think aquariums are great fun even as an adult!
Me too!
Talking about sharks, one year on our anniversary trip, my husband and I went to California to see the Red Wood forest (our first time going). When we were looking for other things to do, we spotted an aquarium so we decided to stop in. They had two sharks in a tank you could “pet”, one was a nurse shark and the other was a leopard shark. No sharp teeth since they are bottom dwellers. It was very cool! Their skin is kind of rough like sandpaper, and one of them really enjoyed being touched so it would come around more often. We also have a friend in our church who loves Shark Week on TV and anticipates it all year ’round! :-)
Aquariums & Museums are some of our favorite places to visit whenever we get a chance to!
Happy SONday everyone! And September 6th is National Read-a-book Day…two great reasons to celebrate, don’t you think?
A couple of months ago I started watching “The Aquarium” on Animal Planet which features the Georgia Aquarium and shows what all goes into to caring for the animals behind the scenes. I have never been super into fish or aquatic animals but I really enjoy watching the show, especially when they show the otters.
That’s so cool!
Oh that sounds like a fun show. Now I’m bummed we don’t have animal planet. :)
Yeah, I hear you…imagine it times six 😳 😁
I’m glad you had fun!
Have a blessed Weekend
Haha. Yeah big families are amazing. And expensive at a lot of places.
Congratulations to the winners. I love visiting Aquariums, I love looking at all the kinds of fish they have. I’m glad you and your son got to go, yep, boys like sharks,my 2 grandson’s love sharks, now my granddaughter , I think she passes on the sharks. The sharks are pretty amazing . Have a Great week and stay safe. Thank you for sharing your good times with your son. God Bless you and your family.
It really is so neat to see all the different varieties and learn about the various specialties that they have and why we need each kind.
Aquariums are so fun! Happy Labor Day weekend!
They really are! Enjoy your three-day weekend as well.
We like to go to the Monterey Bay Aquarium which is a couple of hours drive from us!
My hubby’s grandfather volunteered at the Monterey Bay Aquarium before he passed and hubby has fond memories of getting to go after hours and see things behind teh scenes.
Thanks for sharing about the FB group! How fun!
Congratulations ladies. I hope you enjoy your books. Thank you for sharing the picture from your trip to the aquarium. I am not able to get out to our zoo so it is so nice to be able to enjoy through other’s pictures. You and the other authors are such a blessing to me. Thank you for sharing your talents.
Congratulations ladies. I hope you enjoy your books. Thank you for sharing the picture from your trip to the aquarium. I am not able to get out to our zoo so it is so nice to be able to enjoy through other’s pictures.
I live in Pennsylvania and I am not familiar with that camp. Where is it located? I’ve been to Baltimore aquarium. Very cool.
Love the Aquarium. I live near Baltimore and have visited often. A really cool experience is going after hours for an event. Less crowded, and the darkness is intensified.
I had a small aquarium & saw ones at our Super Ex! I love where we live because we see all the wild animals swimming like otters, beavers, & everything . It makes life feel special
I had an aquarium & am planning to get another soon. I find all the animals so nice to watch.
It’s a great little group – hope to see you there!
Thank you for stopping by!
They had the Trail Life camp at Cove Valley Camp in Mercersburg.
Ooh. I’ll keep my eyes open for the opportunity to do that!
Oh that’s so cool. Here in suburbia were limited to squirrel and deer mostly, although I have seen a fox family on occasion.
We’ve had little aquariums (aquaria?) Before. Definitely a fun experience.
Really want to take my little girl to the aquarium in Kansas City. I’ve only been once, but it was awesome and I know she’d love it.
Glad your guys got to go to camp despite Covid!
My kids always enjoy going to the Aquarium.
Congratulaions!