5th - Yes! We are off to the zoo today. I feel as though I am a child again every time we come here. This place just makes me smile and feel good all over. We are starting out early again so that we can beat the heat and also the crowds. Yay us.First request is for the "Underground" area that they remember from last time. So, the Children's Zoo it is. Let's go and have some fun. The naked mole rats are busy and these two laugh and giggle quietly at them for quite some time. Such an odd lifeform.
It doesn't take long before they have located the tunnels and are busy exploring. Watching their heads pop up now and then in the bubbles is the best!
Right next door to the underground is the aviary and it is just opening as we walk up. Awesome. This means that the birds will be hungry and active. We purchase some worms and a seed stick and within moments --- are literally covered with birds.
Grandpa and I taking the same picture. Me from the front and him from the back. Love it. Interesting color difference in the cameras.
This is one of my "special" spots in the zoo. I seem to say that a lot but I guess there are several of them. I love hands on places and the opportunities to interact with the different birds or animals and look into their eyes just gives me joy. I think it works on kids as well for the softness they have with the birds is remarkable. I am always amazed at how gentle they can be. Sad to say, it is time to move on. Next up: the primates. As we arrive at the gibbons, they are putting on quiet a show so we settle in to watch.
Hyrum's next request is for snakes. Well, alrighty then -- we are off to the reptile building.After three sections, we come to the last one and the first case has a very large python in it. Hyrum's eyes just light up and he has to run and find Grandpa and Zyra to show them this "huge" snake.
Zyra get's to choose now and she wants the giraffes. We change course and head that direction, checking out all the different exhibits along the way. Once we get through the tunnel to the other side of the zoo, both of them aim for the required climb on the elephants. This is a must do. We don't even have to ask with the grands -- it is always, "take a picture of me on the elephant." Okay.
As we round the corner on the savanna, it looks like the giraffes are feeding. That is always a plus. I get some food for them and in no time smiles abound as these two watch that wonder black tongue snake it's way to the offered snack.
We follow the path along the backside to reach the education center and I have some fun with them. Telling Zyra to put her hand into the lion's mouth, I sit back to watch what happens. As she does so, it roars at her making her jump and then giggle. Oh I wish I was quicker with the camera - and perhaps able to be behind the lion.
She calls Hyrum over to do the same and then stands back quietly to watch his reaction. She never ruins the surprise at all. How fun. It is definitely getting to be time for a snack. Energy is running low --- well at least for the adult section. We settle in and seriously -- what could be better than this? Sitting in a cool area surrounded by wildlife and having a nice snack. Perfect.
Once tummies are replenished, it's up to the fence to watch from a better vantage point. Everything is better from two feet up, right?
We have time to catch one of the encounters if we hurry. Wonder what animal it will be this time? Ah, the opossum. This stage has encounters every 30 minutes and the opportunity to really learn about different animals. Both of them ask questions and are fascinated by the animal. I, too, have learned a great deal from this new zoo experience.
It's getting VERY hot now so we are ready to go. One last stop at the carousel before we depart and we are able to take smiles with us all the way to the car. What a nice morning.
For some reason, I am absolutely beat today and decide that I need a nap. Grandpa takes over and I crash after lunch. I wake up to this: I think he is ready for the relief team. Time for dinner, games, and bed for them. (Oh, Grandpa said they were oh so sweet while I was sleeping. Walked on tip toes and whispered the entire time.)
6th - First this this morning I ask if anyone wants to walk down to the coffee shop for breakfast and they are quickly running to get dressed. I make a decision to give them some cereal first though as I am not sure what they will eat down there. Within no time, we are off. Just as we leave the house, Zyra says, "Look, there is a human running." A lady had just run by and I think I laughed about her comment all the way to the shop. Where is she from that she refers to the lady as a "human?" Too funny. Along the way, Grandpa finds a cicada shell to show them. They are always asking about the bugs that make the noise at night.
The coffee shop has apple juice and cheddar crackers (which I don't feel bad about since they already had cereal) for them and a wonderful muffin for us. Yum. We start out downstairs as there are not four chairs together along the rail upstairs.We sit and talk and Hyrum is watching the entire time for 4 chairs above us to open up. Once he spots them, we are obligated to move up there. Yes, these are the things we do for our grandchildren.
When we get back home, we straighten up a bit and then Mister has a lunch date with a friend so he is going to drop us off at the mall for awhile. Time to go. First stop: the turtles. LOVE.
There is a playhouse display at the mall today so we go in search of them. Awesome Memory Hyrum also knows there is a LEGO store here and I have promised to let them stop and play. We stop at the tower/light display and peek for a few minutes before moving on to the LEGO store. We have passed several playhouses along the way, but they are locked and you cannot go inside. What a silly thing to do. I am disappointed. After playing for awhile with the toys, I let each one pick out a small LEGO kit and we are on our way again. We round the corner and run into this Porsche that they both think is just way too cool. We have to look at it from all angles and talk about all the different dragons that are painted on it. 
This next section actually has a couple of really cool playhouses. I LOVE the Bakery one. Oh what fun for kids. However, the one that really wins is the boat. They look through every window they can find and truly explore this one the best they can.
Our loop is complete and Grandpa is on his way to get us. Back to the turtles to wait for him.
Quiet time is obviously putting their kits together. We settle in and work for over an hour before they are both finished.
I work with Zyra and we have lots of small things to make. Hyrum has one larger item and for some reason Grandpa and him keep turning one page too many on the instructions so they are constantly backtracking.
It does happen, though. The items do get put together and the smiles of satisfaction are worth it all. They proceed to play with these for the better part of the afternoon and just keep going and going, inventing one story after another. The creative play is awesome.
It is getting close to time to start dinner so I ask the kids if they would like to go play at the small splash park to cool off for the evening. Swimsuits are on in minutes and we are out the door for some fun. Zyra runs immediately and is soaked and laughing away. It takes Hyrum a bit longer, but he is soon drenched as well. Fun and games all around.
