The Zoo!

For our last field trip, we took the whole family to the zoo along with all the first graders (and K-1 classes) from Hayden's school. Despite being a little apprehensive about being there ALL day, in charge of even more children than I normally have in my entourage, it turned out fabulously. The weather wasn't TOO hot, the kids didn't get TOO tired, and we managed to have fun!

checking out the ostriches, one of our very first animal sightings!

ostriches!

The whole family joined in the fun, including Jason, plus we added three of Hayden's classmates to our tour around the zoo. Basically once we were assigned our group, we could explore the zoo however we saw fit. It was nice to go our own pace, but also to keep running into other groups from the school so the kids could say hi to friends. We started in the Africa section, met back with the group for lunch, then hit North America in the afternoon. This turned out to be a GREAT plan because there are lots of good play areas in North America, and that's more what the kids were interested in for the afternoon.

Our little ladybug on a 'real' ladybug!  She climbed on this almost the whole time we were stopped at the awesome garden themed playground, until she decided to walk on a retaining wall and fall and scrape her forehead.

The only snags we ran into involved catching the tram back to the Africa parking lot (took SO long and we had to switch trams, no one told us which one was going where!) and then leaving the zoo (took the scenic way back to the main highway, adding 15 min to our return trip). All in all we had a great time. Check out the pics!

riding the hippos at hippo beach while we waited for the buses to arrive

our group plus Eliza at the ostriches, excited and ready to go!

Lions! Look, he's standing up! (for all of 15 secs...)

this is what happens when you ask K-1 students to pose

the girls liked the flamingos

Flamingos! (please be quiet, it's flamingo breeding season..)

scarlet ibis in the aviary

enjoying the huge vents of the aviary (notice the hair flying!)

an elephant!

elephant up close!

let me on!!! more hippo beach during post-lunch bathroom breaktime

can you tell E is getting a little bit tired?

M is still ready to rock and roll!

there was this neat structure made of twisted branches you could run around in

which way did she go, which way did she go?

the garden playground was GREAT fun

at the river otter tank. he just zipped all around. H said this was her favorite animal.

Smile! You're at the zoo! (Can you tell what animal they are sitting on?!)