Family Trip

We WERE planning on going to Manhattan to visit the places that I spent a decade enjoying. (Kansas, not New York.) There has been so much flooding lately from the massive rains this summer, that the places that I wanted to take the kids aren't exactly ideal. So we opted for a little change of schedule. First up, we decided to check out the zoo. There have been some changes to it and the kids love going. So on Josh's day off, we went as a family. I actually think it was the first time that we've gone with just us. Usually someone else joins us or Josh is working and we go without him. My mom worked and so she couldn't go this time. Taking family pictures in our usual spots was...well...a bit more challenging. The zoo wasn't busy so there weren't even people walking by that could take the pictures for us.

We had a blast. The kiddos really enjoy seeing the animals and Evie was in her element. It was also our very first official trip without any kind of wagon or stroller. Big step. Huge.

Evie got nailed in the face by a hungry goat.

The updated rain forest exhibit was pretty nice. Very bright.

Josh's favorite exhibit is always the fruit bats. He stares at them forever.

What a cutie.

He was pretending to be a wildlife man.

Just gettin' ready to step in the tiger poo.

She loved this.

Family photo. Wish I wasn't standing like a weirdo.

After the zoo, we decided to hold up our end of the promise to spend a night in a hotel with the kiddos. They don't have much experience staying in hotels. Honestly, the last time we stayed in one was our trip to California for my brother's wedding. When Abby came up to me and asked, "You mean that we get to stay in a hotel kind of like when we stayed at Uncle Aaron's house in California? Yay!" That's right. My kids thought that our hotel was actually my brother's home. I failed them. Oops. After a lengthy explanation, they both realized that we would get to swim in an indoor pool and they were pumped beyond words. Instead of going to Manhattan, we opted to go see Josh's family in Oklahoma. We got a nice hotel there and had a great time. What was the kiddos' favorite thing about the hotel (besides the pool)? The ice machine. It was just down the hall from us and they were fascinated by it. All around, we had a great time for our weekend getaway. We visited the local swim park, had lots of play time with the cousins, and got to enjoy splashing around a creek finding crawdaddys and minnows. (My van still doesn't smell right.) I wish I could say I got pictures of this. But alas, I was too busy keeping Evie from drowning and trying not to look like the worst parent in the world as she had a tantrum/meltdown in front of all the world. As my inlaws witnessed this, they were either thinking that I'm the worst parent in the world, or they are simply thankful that they no longer have a two-year old. Oh, I did get video of Evie screaming in her carseat. And, by screaming, I mean...um...there are no words to describe it. And that, my friends, is why we don't travel. I won't even show you because then you'd never be able to look at me with respect again.