Labor Day

So we hadn't really decided on what we were going to do for Labor Day.  We still wanted to go to Brazos Bend State Park to see the alligators and we thought about going to the zoo.  We let the kids choose and they voted for the zoo.  We left as quickly as we could and got there pretty close to opening time.  I knew it was going to be busy, but wow - the parking lot was already filling up.  We knew it was going to be hot - but we figured we would survive.  Now I question our good judgement and will make a mental note to not go to the zoo in the summer or when it is going to be above 90 degrees - it was pretty miserable.  

The kids managed pretty well except for Kaylee - she bascially cried/whined the whole time.  I think it was a mixture of being hot and tired.  I had brought snacks and drinks but I guess that wasn't enough.  We rented a wagon, brought umbrellas and hats for shade, and gave everyone a map.  But of course having all of these extras just gave us more opportunity to fight over them.  The wagon wasn't as big as the Denver ones so it was a big harder to fit two kids in there with our lunch bag.  It was doable - but they didn't like sitting that close to each other, sigh, it was a long morning.  

But we tried to have fun.  Damon liked the bats; Chris liked the sea lions; and Jenna, Kaylee, and Tyler had fun in the petting zoo to see the goats.  

I didn't take a picture but we stopped for a snack break at a little outdoor theater for story time.  A zoo employee read the book "A Giraffe and a Half" by Shel Silversten.  The book was pretty torn and he had it memorized.  It made me wonder how many times he had read that book.  He did a good job and had the audience participate with the rhyming words.  

 We had our lunch right before we left.

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 We had to document that we were there-sweaty and all.

 On our way out we saw the elephants close to the fence.  One of them put on a show for us by opening his mouth.  He kept pointing inside - I think he wanted some food.  It was cool to see his teeth.

At home we put the girls down and Kaylee caught a second wind and didn't sleep  - she sooo needed a nap.  Anyway, after quiet time we just chilled at home and we grilled steaks for dinner.  I rarely buy steaks so that was a treat.  I thought this was the last day our pool was open so I wanted to go one last time.  We loaded everyone up and looked at the pool and noticed that we would have it basically to ourselves, then we found out that they had to close it because a kid had thrown up in it earlier.  Agghh!  So we played at the splash pad and the park there for bit then went home for baths and bed. But the life guard told us the pool was open on weekends all through September so we can go again.  

It was a long day, but still fun to be with family.  Certain things will get easier as they get older, but there are some things that are so fun when they are young.  They get so excited at the smallest things.