Busy, Busy, Busy...Zoo, Play, Carnival!

This week was full of F-U-N!

With work looming around the corner, I am trying to pack in all the family fun I can before I am only left to do things like this on the crowded weekends with all the other working parents.

Anyways, first stop was another trip to the zoo! The zoo is one of our favorite places. We are members so we can go for free. This was only our third trip though as it is hard to go with 3 small children by myself so I always need the extra pair of hands, sometimes two extras! When Gracie was an only child, we went like every week!

Anyways, thankful that we could go with Grandma and Auntie Amy, the kids got excited!

Miss Evie flashing her "I'm going to the zoo" smile.

Presley was rolling with excitement.

Gracie couldn't wait to get there as we haven't been there since her birthday. She wanted to wear her giraffe shirt for the occasion.

First thing we had to do was take pictures posing as as many animals as we could.

Then we made it over to see the penguins. They had fun playing in the water.

So that's where we headed next....to play in the water.

Then it was off to see the bears. We came across this sad little reminder that school is starting soon. (My school is the Wesmere wolves.)

We were super excited to see the polar bears though. This guy had a ball swimming and even came and swam right by us several times!

The grizzly bears had fun in the water too.

Then we were off to see more animals. It was a great day at the zoo because all the animals were up and about and we got up close with so many of them like the bison,
the giraffes,
the camels,

and the kangaroos.

Then it was time for some merry-go-riding!

Of course Gracie rode her usual favorite...the panda bear!

But the second time, I talked her into riding the gorilla.

So then we headed off to see the gorillas.

Seeing all of these animals tuckered the twins out.

So Gracie posed for one last picture and we headed home for naps.

We got some much needed rest because the next day was....

PLAY DAY!

Gracie's BFF Scotty and his brother Levi came to play outside at Grandma and Grandpa's kiddieland!

First thing they did was play at the "park."

Presley and Levi just wanted to hang in the pool though and catch some rays.

Gracie and Scotty were all over doing anything and everything though.

The twins thought the sprinkler was about one of the coolest things they had ever seen!

And Presley and Levi thought they would look pretty cool if they posed like they were going to go and ride the waves. They do look pretty studly though.

Miss Evie just wanted to work on her tan though.

And all that playing and posing made Presley hungry for a snack.

After lunch, Gracie showed Scotty her playroom at Grandma's and they had a ball.

They even decided that they better take a shopping trip to "Jewel."

It was fun playing with Scotty and Levi. Later after naps, it was time for more family fun.....

this time....CARNIVAL!

What do you know? They had a merry-go-round so Gracie rode it not once,

but twice!

And then Gracie rode the choo-choo train with Grandpa.

And she rode the dizzy dragons with daddy.

And then my little girl suprised us all when she said she wanted to ride the "Dumbo" ride. I told her that mommy and daddy would not be able to ride with her and she was ok with that. So I strapped her in as she held on to her dog "Brownie" and hoped for the best. I thought for sure they would have to stop the ride because she would be screaming but she rode it and rode it well! I couldn't believe it! My little girl rode a carnival ride all by herself!!! Wow! Preschool, carnival rides, pretty soon college! I was so proud of her!

And it didn't stop there. She drove the car all by herself too! She drove with such a serious face that made me realize that when that day comes, like 20 years from now, she will be a great driver and drive with caution.

And last but not least, Gracie took a ride down the giant fun slide to end the night!

Such great times with my all my favorite people! What great memories we made! Now I really need to start scrapbooking these pictures. Oh where to begin!