Rocks!

Last week, I took the kids to the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals in Hillsboro, about a 30 minute drive from Portland. The museum is located on a frontage road, in a 60's style ranch home. When we were driving up the driveway (literally) I was second guessing myself about our adventure, thinking that it wasn't going to be worthwhile.
Boy, was I wrong. First impressions certainly can be deceiving. This ranch style "home" (with the gift shop in the garage!) houses an amazing collection of rocks, crystal and petrified wood, including a large collection local to the Pacific Northwest. Finn was amazed, and kept exclaiming in excitement, especially when we got to the room of glow in the dark rocks... awesome! I think if I was sans-kids, I would have wandered more and stared longer, but Finn happily explored alongside me and said that he couldn't wait to go back.
The garage gift shop held many treasures.... a few rocks as souvenirs for Finn and an Oregon coast agate guide for mom. I have always collected and admired rocks, but for all of my rock-love, I am able to identify only a few types of rocks, and don't know nearly as much about their formation as I would like. When Finn started to ask me questions about how rocks glowed in the dark, or how a petrified pine cone is formed, I knew that I needed to brush up on my geology... and quick! I am already being outsmarted by a 4 year old!