A Trip to the Zoo

We love the Minnesota Zoo. (Have you been to http://www.whopooped.org/?) It's a really, really, great zoo. It's also a really, really, long drive for us to get there. It's also not cheap. When there were three of us, it was not really a big deal, but now that there are nine of us, well, we could pretty much buy a season pass for what one visit would cost, and that's more than I wanted to shell out last week.

Fortunately for us, there is a **free** zoo in the Twin Cities, and it happens to be not too far away from one of the clinics we happened to visit recently for asthma check-ups for two of our girls.

I love the water in this picture. It reminds me of some lovely impressionist paintings...

Como Zoo & Conservatory will always hold a special place in my heart- we were married in the Conservatory! It's a lovely place.

We hadn't been to a zoo in quite a while; I think Little M, now 2 1/2, was a wee nursling in a sling the last time we managed that kind of animal kingdom fun. The kids were so excited when I mentioned where we'd be going that morning before the dreaded doctor visits. Really?! Really Mom?! Oh, boy!

It is always so precious to me to see the looks of awe and wonder on the youngest ones as they see their first live flamingo, giraffe, gorilla, or zebra. Toddlers and preschoolers could stand and watch ducks and flamingos swim and splash around for what seems like hours before they even remember you have snacks in your bag... You do have snacks in your bag, don't you?

We've had cats for years, and the little ones LOVE to watch them play and pounce around, but that can never compare to Three-Toed Sloths, or Tamarins, or these...

Or Butterflies!! This is the first time we've made it to a butterfly exhibit, and, oh, my, it was one of the most fascinating things I've ever seen. We could've spent all day in that special tent-like structure, which happened to look like a giant Monarch caterpillar (scroll down on the link). So cool.

Baby J, letting a butterfly touch him, so sweet...

I loved the signs! This one was on the way out...

Something I always love to see, the way a big brother looks after and helps a little sister- so sweet. I love my kids!

'Twas a good time.

Enjoying them,

because of Him,

ali