Museum Visit for Leighton

We have been having behavior issues with Leighton. I have tried timeout, nose in the corner and taking away toys and privileges. None of these seem to work. I thought I would try something different. On Monday, I gave her 5 tickets. I told her that I would take her to the museum on Friday. I would follow her this time. She could look at whatever she wanted, for as long as she wanted (brave, I know.) It would only cost her 1 ticket. The catch: every time she misbehaved during the week, she would lose a ticket. She was game. Well, it wasn't the best week, but needless to say on Friday morning, she had 1 ticket left to pay her way into the museum. (Thanks to Dee being too tenderhearted to take her last ticket away for knocking over the lamp.)

Here are some pictures of her wonderful day.

Leighton's first hijacker. Can't you tell she is having the best time in the butterfly house?

She batted her big black eyes at the curator for the butterfly house and poor Ms. Claire was taken in hook, line and sinker. She found an older butterfly and let Leighton hold it. She was the envy of the museum. Every child and adult came up to her and made some comment, whether it was Cool! or You are so lucky! or even How come she gets to hold one? Leighton soaked it all in. She was in heaven. Thank goodness the butterfly exhibit closed at 3 or we would still be there.

This is enough to make your skin crawl after you have looked at the Giant Hissing Cockroach, the Black Widow Spider and the Millipedes. Plus, we are in the south. BUGS BUGS BUGS!

My favorite, the underwater tunnel of long ago.


I learned something new. This is a cashew tree with a cashew (not real-it is a museum) hanging from it. They are toxic until the cashew has been roasted to remove said toxins. I would hate to be the guy who found that out the hard way.


This is Leighton acting afraid of the giant ladybug. Vivian Leigh she is not.

After Leighton lifted up this flap to read the information, I had to control the germophobe in me to not pack it up right then.

Leighton in her favorite hollowed out tree. I think we came back to this one at least 15 times.

The poor couple in the background were informed all about the bat exhibit. She showed them the machine that turned sound into clicks (like the bats hear), she showed them the bats in her hollowed out tree. They were very sweet and very quick, in moving on to something else.

Jensyn went with and was a perfect angel! She must know my rule about public places: Embarrass me in public with bad behavior and I just won't take you in public again.