We celebrated our first day of summer break with a trip to the zoo with Grandma and Grandpa. 

It was a beautiful, sunny yet cool day--perfect for walking around the Niabi Zoo. This is only an hour away from us, but for some reason, we'd never made the trip. Possibly because our travel over the last few years has taken us to the Milwaukee, Phoenix, Omaha, Blank Park (Des Moines) and Lincoln Park (Chicago) zoos.

This is a very nice, small zoo-- quite walkable and accessible for the six-and-under set. (Which means it's possibly not the nicest place for the animals I guess.) We started out a little rocky with Daniel insisting we ride the train immediately. Maybe I should have been more flexible, but I was pretty sure I'd need the train as incentive as the day wore on, so I didn't want to use it up in the first five minutes we were there. At one point in his fit, Daniel switched from "I wanna ride the train!!!" to "I just don't want these pants on!!!" Which was hilarious of course, but also the moment I knew he was turning the corner. And just around that corner he got to feed huge goldfish in the koi pond and then all was right with the world again. (P.S. I was right about needing the train incentive. "We can ride the train as soon as you've eaten all  your lunch.")


Everyone's favorites:
Grandma--giraffes
Grandpa--bald eagle
Edward--monkeys
Daniel--elephant; the elephant was using its trunk to pick up dirt and throw it on its back. Daniel could totally relate. (Runner up--lions; he knows a song about a lion who shakes his mighty mane and was very impressed with this lion's tresses.)
Mom--having Grandma and Grandpa there to take the boys in the aviary (shudder!)

There were no water animals, but Daniel was just as happy to find his orca at the playground in the picnic area.

The outing was such a success that even Edward slept on the way home. We all went in one car, which put me in between the boys in the back seat. A towel wrapped around my shoulders cushioned them sufficiently for napping. Made a bit of a stiff ride home for me, but worth it to have them quiet and rested.