Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Zooing, Pt. 2

Monday, we went to the Zoo again.  Our friend Amy was coming to town, so a bunch of wanted to meet her at the Zoo.  There were 5 parents, and 14 kids.  Oy.  This time I wanted to be a little early...we all operate better earlier in the day rather than later.  Plus, I was pretty certain I was the only one in our party that had a burning desire to go in to the White River Gardens and take pictures of flowers.  But when we were there last Friday, Flowers was the one thing I wanted to do.  Although I would have been equally happy with Butterflies, which I figured all the kids would want to do.  However, on our way in, we learned all our friends were running late.  For once, we were the early ones.  Weird.  So I took the kids into the Gardens to see the summer flowers.  What a great bunch of goodies for me and my camera.  I apologize if you don't enjoy pictures of flowers, but I had enough time, and energy that not only did I take flower pictures, but I shot most of these in Manual too.  


These are most likely Coreopsis also known as Tickseed.


The boys were less than impressed with me wanting to take their pictures by the flowers.  
They mildly tolerate my photo-nagging. 


These are called Globe Thistles.  Pretty gorgeous of lavender. 


Even the bumblebees think this is a great plant. 


Purple Coneflower closeup.


Sam finds a Red Dinner Plate Hibiscus.


Sweetboys in front of the Pink Knockout Rose.   Too sunny for all my sweetboys. 


A Knockout Pink Rose, just like that I hope are going to grow in my garden.  

This was my "Big Money" shot.  All three sweetboys, awake, eyes open (only would have been Perfect if Jake was looking at me, but that's OK) and happy flowers in the background. 

I'm pretty sure the happy purple flowers are Purple Salvia.  
And I'm not the only one that liked them, they were crawling with bees! 



Christopher found the Red Zinnias fascinating. 


I just Love these dueling Water Lilies. 



This was a shrub rose, the Scarlet Meidilands



Garden Phlox in the shade garden, one ray of sun was catching the blooms.  So Cool. 


Jacob got to meet up with his new friend Logan, about 8 weeks old, and they are about the same size.  
Big little buddhas both of them! 
We finally got into the Zoo about 11:15 after meeting up with most of our crew, but Amy was running a bit behind, so we waited in the first room of the Oceans exhibit.  We at least looked at some of the fish and rays, but the kids, they couldn't handle the wait anymore.  They all lined up in wait for Friends.  


Sam checks out the Sweet Baby Ray born this past spring.  
Did you know that when stingrays are born, they come out like a folded up taco with their wings up and immediately start swimming?  So cool. 


 All the kids in our crew wanted to pet the sharks.  7 of these kids half in the water were with our crew.  Some of us were nursing behind the shark pool, and didn't get much contact with sharks.  But the elder kids kept trying and trying.  We were worried they might fall in!


Christopher and a 'Sea Roar', he used to call Sea Lions, Sea Roars.  



Chris and Shay are super Cool checking out the penguins. 


Ferociously Cute.  

That's what his onesie says.  And it was dreadfully appropriate, given 
a. we were at the zoo, seeing sharks, and b. this boy is stinky cute. 


When I have to start passing him around, I'm learning that's my sign that he's Done.  


And after lunch and getting the elder boys dressed from their swim, so was I.  So we hit the road. It was a Great visit, and I wish I had more energy, still I got to see everyone, get my hugs in, see lots of Cuteness, and not feel so lost.  I really had been feeling like I fell off the planet for a while, like an inadequate friend.  Now we're getting out and about, carrying on almost adult conversations, and that is good.  Exhausting, but so good.  


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