Part 2: Fun and Free Spring Break

Thursday was zoo day.  And it was, you guessed it, FREE!  How did I manage such an awesome deal?  Well, Grandma paid that's how.  Grandma Libby bought a grandparents' zoo pass a few months back so we finally took her up on her offer to go to the zoo.  And then I packed lunches because 1. I don't like fast food, 2. it's faster and easier to pack a lunch than it is to find a place to eat, figure what my kids will eat, order, wait, and then eat, 3. it's healthier, 4. we can eat when we want and have a cooler full of snacks with us the whole time.

We went to the Ashboro Zoo, and let me tell you friends, it was fun.

I grew up going to the Oakland Zoo every Spring Break.  Now I know Oakland is no San Diego, but it's pretty good and I've been disappointed by every zoo since.  Until now.  Ashboro held it's own.  It was, as many warned, a lot of walking but with my sit and stand stroller, that was no problem for the kids and we'll just say I got my work out it.  And I was really happy the whole time and even the hour and a half drive there and back didn't seem bad.  I just love walking.

We started in Africa (the zoo is divided into two parts and you have to take a tram between the two).  We spent most of the day in Africa.

Beginning of the day picture

I don't remember what animal this is but Henry was super confused about the glass and the animals and why he couldn't touch them.

We watched the chimpanzes forever because they had a baby!  It was so adorable--just tumbling around like Henry.  Seriously though, he looked a lot like Henry trying to go stuff.

 Grandma even paid for us to go to Dinosaur Land, which was a little scarey at first because the dinosaurs moved.

Rex is pretending to get eaten by this guy's head.  Henry, again, very confused as to what is going on.

Rex by the T-Rex looking fierce

Henry looking interested and cute.

Of course, the traditional flamigos picutre.

Rex really wanted to see the elephants but by the time we go to the elephants, he was more interested in playing a game about elephants so I took a picture of Alice instead.

Henry and his naps--he was supposed to take his morning nap in the car on the way to the zoo, but Alice and Rex were both so loud and excited that he couldn't fall asleep.  He finally passed out around 1 or 2 for about 45 minutes.  Poor baby.

 After lunch we headed to North America, and Henry saw this:

 And then he cried and cried when we didn't go to the wading pool and went to look at the seals instead.  So we went to the wading pool and Rex was mad that I didn't bring his bathing suit and Alice tried to go in naked because she also didn't have a bathing suit, but Henry he was like

 And then we went home.  I mean we walked forever to the entrance then waited forever for the shuttle to the parking lot, then took the shuttle to the parking lot and then drove home in silence.  Nothing like a day of walking to knock the kids out.  But I would say it was one of the highlights of Spring Break.  Guess I'll have to add zoo to the list of my favorite places.