A trip to the zoo!

For Ryan's birthday, my parents gave our family a zoo membership as ours had expired. We love to go the zoo! So, mom drove up last night and spent the night and she, the kids and I headed out this morning. There were twenty grades of field trips today. It was a mad house. Brilliantly, my Mom suggested going through backwards. Such a good call! Anna-Kate was quite thrown off by not visiting the animals in their "correct" order and kept asking to see the elephants (usually what we see first).

The kids in front of the huge guerilla exhibit.



Closer up:



Ryan was so sad when I made him get out of the bird's nest. It is in a section of the zoo with birds flying about and monkey's climbing everything--his favorite part of the zoo for sure.



The boy LOVES birds. I dont' so much, but I indulge him. What a great Mom I am-ha! (Actually, if we are talking about how great of a mom I am, I might as well tell you that today marked my second time in the reptile house. I abhor snakes, they give me the willies, but I am determined not to pass my phobias on to my kids. I want them to learn snakes are yucky and we don't touch, but not scary and worth fearing. See, I told you I was a great mom today!). :)



My mom feeding the birds with Ryan. Thanks Mom for making time for the trip up! The kids (and I!) enjoyed the time so much, and of course, thank you both for the membership, you know we'll use it!!



Anna-Kate loved showing the ducks to Ryan. "They say 'quack' Ryan, see them, see them?!..." She's a sweet sister for sure.



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This picture is completely unrelated, but I actually got a picture of both of them looking at me, mostly smiling and relatively close up. (No small task, in case you were not aware of my mommy super-powers).