We recently went to Northern Kentucky to visit Toby’s mom and see his grandmother be named one of the 2010 Cincinnati Women of the Year. It also happened to be Easter, so my parents came down from Detroit. We all decided to go to the Newport Aquarium (just across the Ohio River from Cincinnati). And while the entire aquarium is awesome… the most awesome thing came at the end.

Penguins!

The Newport Aquarium has a lot of cool things — including two shark rays. But perhaps the best is what they call “Penguin Encounters.” For $25, you can get up close and personal with nine Blackfooted penguins. (That is my foot in the photo on the right)

A biologist who works at the aquarium told us about the penguins, then picked one up and let us pet her. Apparently they have about 70 feathers per square inch… and they feel very soft.

That one was just chillin’. But it wasn’t cold in there — these girls live in a temperate climate.

Seriously, how cute are they? I love penguins.

Maybe we can get one to live in our tub?