Return Trip to the Zoo

We were able to have a second zoo experience this year. Admittedly, it was much colder this time around but we were still able to have a good time. The boys wanted to be full of energy for this experience so they took short naps on the drive from Provo to Salt Lake City.

Our first stop was the train ride around (part of) the park. We almost had the entire train to ourselves but a few last second riders did jump on board.

You can't believe the speed of that high powered train! But even with the intensity of speed that almost accompanied the ride it was fun to see the zoo from a different perspective.

These goffer holes we in with the nocturnal animals. But these animals seemed very awake during this day.Donovan spends some time admiring the bats hanging upside down. There were a lot but the picture doesn't show it.

I supposed we each have our own way of enjoying the zoo experience.

We we're very fortunate to be able to join Aunt Janeil and her 3 children (Katie, Anna and Troy) for this trip to the zoo. Here Katie, David and Donovan head out to see the birds in a somewhat dried-up pond. Michael follows along but was just doing his own thing, checking out the animals.

Aunt Janeil is trying to point out the baby money to the kids.

Michael was mesmorized by the big gorilla that was hanging out by the display window.

Let's listen in on the scientific explorations of these youth:

All good things must come to an end...Aunt Janeil and her kids had to leave early and we were left to ourselves (almost literally) to explore the zoo.

We thought that paying special attention to this cougar would be important over (BYU's) homecoming weekend.

And the llamas didn't seem phased by the cooler weather even though the elephant and the rhino were no where to be found.

And the boys favorite stop was the giraffe. I'm not sure why but that was the one stop, besides the carosel and the train, that they wanted to see in the entire zoo.

By the time we finished seeing the giraffe and wandering back across the zoo, we decided that we were cold and it was time to go home. In spite of the cooler temperatures we had a grand time seeing the rest of the zoo exhibits that we missed on the first time through earlier in the season.

Playing at the Zoo Playground

While it has long been debated where these kids come from and how they manage to have so much energy, well part of that question has finally been answered! Still not sure about the energy thing. Michael enjoys playing on the playground toys, but pauses to take it all in.

Michael and Anna discovered that they could do things together quite well.

Cousin Anna made it up the ladder and pauses to reflect on her accomplishments.

David is ever the monkey swing and climbing on everything.

The slides seemed to be the biggest attraction in the park.

Donovan decided that walking all the way around to the ladder was just too far to go.

Why spend time in line when there is a quicker way?

David doesn't believe in the common route and decides to scale the untamed country on the other side of the slide.

But who couldn't use just a little help from his cousin, Katie.

Don't think for a moment that fun escaped the mommies! Aunt Janeil plays on the teeter-totter.

Michelle goes for a slower approach to enjoy the day.


In the end, the kids had a fabulous time at the Zoo playground!