our weekend up north {just a little}

we headed out of town again,
to see our northern relatives.
{just a little northern}


we zoo'ed with them one day,
because they have THE most fabulous zoo.




i mean it. it. is. amazing.


i feel like i am qualified to say that-
because we've been to many midwest zoo's including the chicago one, st louis, kc,
and thus far...
for toddlers & preschoolers- this one is where it's at.

you can actually see many of animals upclose.

and, the walking on a dock, in the dark, through a lake bed of huge alligators
is so real- it makes me ridiculously mama nervous every time.

and so...............................................................

we thrust our hands in freezing cold water,
and giggled as the star fish and coral tickled our fingers.




we waddled like penguins,
near the penguin pen.




we cut swiftly thru the swarming crowds of strollers
{and teenagers' holding up the lines because they were texting on their phones},
like our shark friends did thru schools of sting rays in their tanks of water.




our spunky ggirl made growling faces and showed us her teeth,
as she begged to have her picture taken with the bronzed lion pride.




rbaby passionately chased after a poor lost duckbird creature,
while stooping under lush green vines in the rainforest exhibit.



and we chopped it up like those colorful karate birds,
in the dessert epcot looks-a-lot-like dome.





and we got down some more- just because since we were inspired,
by our zoo jamming auntie k.




we wept indignant tears,
as this mama forced a certain zoo meandering toddler girl
back into her cage-of-a-stroller.




and, our whole herd embraced our inner chimpanzee,
to monkey around because they're awesome like that.

{and, because this is where mr.m. get's his
lets-make-a-goofy-face-picture-genetics from.
so we absolutely had to have one.}

naturally.




and then this mama, made everyone take
an-"nboy-please-don't-make-a-goofy-face-in-this-one, or else!"- picture,
for the wall or the scrap-blog-book thing.

naturally.




and thus ended our sweet just-a-little northern weekend.

of fun,
of birthday celebrations,
of time with titus the doggie,
and of hours of wi lego star wars.