a trip to the DENVER ZOO

A ride on the train

A picninc lunch in the lawn

A couple of lil' monkeys

So Saul and I decided (well, actually I decided and then talked Saul into it...) to get a membership to the zoo this year. Our thinking is that they are really at a perfect age to be entertained this way.

A few things we figured out...

Pack a lunch. And lots of snacks. The food is just too expensive and the lines are just way too long. (The kids can get down right angry when they're hungry!)

Bring extra sunscreen. Even though my husband and two of my kids were born with natural sun screen built into their skin, me and Isaac were not! It seems for the life of those pale, you can never slather on enough of the stuff.

Avoid the gift shop at all costs! We are always tempted into getting the kids something new from the zoo. But really, how many more stuffed animals do we need? My mom insisted on buying each of the kids the "special purchase of the day"...a large stuffed giraffe with huge googley eyes. Now I have them spread over my house, collecting dust...

Make a plan. I mean make it a goal to see just a few things. The zoo is just too big to see it all in one day. (Unless you don't have three kids you're chasing down, having to feed, and run to find restrooms, AND you start as soon as they open and stay until they close, and run like the wind from one exhibit to the next.)

Next time I want to make better use of the opportunity to teach the kids about God's Creation. Sometimes I don't think of those things until the opportunity passes me up...