The Zoo... again? You betcha!

Making the most of our zoo membership before it expires next month (Boo at the Zoo will happen before it expires, so we won't miss anything if I don't get the chance to renew it before that happens). We've actually done two separate trips since the beginning of the month. The majority of the pictures are from our visit today, which was made during moderate temps with a nice breeze. The first two pictures are from our more daring venture, when it was so humid I was mentally pleading with Mother Nature to just make it rain already (it finally did on our way home and then for the rest of the week).

At the elephant baths. The kids were fascinated by the baby elephant (8 months old now!) and the tricks the zookeepers were coaxing the elephants into doing.

Can you tell how hot it was from Megan's pink cheeks and damp hair?

Staring at the great hornbill. Connor claimed free reign of the zoo for the first half of our visit.

I've been making a conscious effort to be in more pictures with the kids, thus turning Megan into the photographer for a bit.

Knowing what was next, Connor launched himself from the stroller and ran for the drums. I had to drag him away.

Another inclusive picture. Too bad you can't see the chimp.

Climbing all over the rhino cutout.

I needed at least one of Megan and I, so here's a selfie. I love Megan's smile!

Getting to pet a baby alligator. We also got to pet 2 types of lizards and a snake. Quite adventurous!

We also got to wander through the "big bugs" exhibit, since it was free today. No pictures, since Connor had worn himself out by running willy-nilly through the zoo and Megan was too eager to move on to the next bug each time I stopped to fish my camera out.

For a quick general school update for Cadence (since I know this is how several family members keep up to date with our family going ons): She's doing SO well! Any concerns I might have had are gone. Behavior is reported daily, with purple being excellent, green being default/good, and then the yellow, orange, red for misbehavior. Cadence's daily behavior record has significantly more purple than green. She is loving school and I've had a recent reminder how lucky we are to be in a school that does more explorative learning than non-stop worksheets in kindergarten. Daily Cadence goes to PE, music, art or the library, and she also does "workstations" in her class daily. Some of the stations are worksheets, but others are cutting, coloring and pasting a book on that day's subject, while others involve building with blocks as a group or walking around the room with a clipboard to write down words they see or even just an "art table", where they're given basic supplies and free reign.

I've filled out the paperwork to have her tested for GT (gifted track). She'll be tested at some point throughout the year and then we'll get results in April. It feels vain to be nominating my own child. Doesn't every parent know their child is brilliant?