Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Morning at the Zoo



Michael was able to take today off work to have a little spring break fun with the rest of us. The weather report said that it was going to be mid-sixties with p.m. showers so we decided to go to the zoo first thing in the morning and tire the kids out looking at all the animals before the rain hit. Happily, that's pretty much how things went down.

We met Michael's brother and his family at the zoo and had a fabulous morning. I enjoyed walking hand-in-hand with my nephew, Ethan, who reported to me that he "was the goodest boy ever" in the car on the way to the zoo because his dad "didn't even have to stop the car once" to discipline him. He cracked me up.


Among my kids' favorite creatures spotted today were the stingrays, snakes, pandas, orangutans, lions, tigers, turtles and tortoises. My little girls are especially fond of turtles and tortoises. Mackenna sat on my lap on a stool in the reptile house for like twenty minutes watching the giant tortoises move ever so slowly around their enclosure.

Maia was happy to roam the zoo with her cousin, Nina, and her friend, Liza, who'd been staying with us for the last couple of days. She died at how cute the baby turtles were (and they were pretty adorable).


While we were in the kids' play area, we caught Buddy taking time out to meditate on a large black olive! This rejuvenated Mason's spirit enough that the rest of the morning he ran and jumped over the little fences as if he were at a track event and not a zoo. He liked watching the ring-tailed lemurs hop up their rock wall thingie. Maybe he thinks he's a lemur...that would explain a lot, actually.


Sweet Teense liked looking at the animals for the first couple of hours but then she was done. She loved her time in the kids' play area but refused to even enter the Great Ape House due to its horrific stench. Truth be told, I was happy to sit that one out with her. That smell is fierce, I tell you!

I was just happy to have a day of play together as a family. It was nice to have Michael's help in watching
the two little girls and the two directions in which they inevitably run. I think the kids really enjoyed having some fun time with their dad, as well.


6 comments:

Tracy said...

What a fun trip! So glad it didn't rain on you. I love how Mason meditates. I'm very impressed that you blogged about it the same day it happened! You are on top of things.

Cami said...

I love time at the zoo! And I agree, that ape house is horrible. Ugh.

whitney allison said...

The 2nd picture you have on here, the one of Mackenna, is hilarious to me...her face makes me laugh. What a great day at the zoo! Last time Shawn and I went(which was my first time in years) the tiger was no where to be found. I was very depressed about that.

Amber said...

That sounds like such a fun day. It is great that Michael was able to come too that makes it so enjoyable. What cute kids you have!

Sechrist Family said...

You're the best mom/aunt ever too!!! I love the zoo. They only zoo Vegas has is a little ghetto and no one recommends visiting it. Sad. I loved Mason meditating!!!

Deb said...

wednesday was a nice morning. that was our train museum morning. perfect! and what zoo are you visiting? i don't recognize the play area at all!

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