Zoo Miami!

I have been such an absent blogger for the last two weeks!  After Brody's party we contracted round 2 of the stomach flu, then Brody celebrated his actual birthday, and then the kids and I headed to Miami for a crazy week of wedding planning with Aunt Carolyn.  To make up for all of the time that they spent in wedding appointments, Granddaddy took us to the zoo Monday.  To say the kids had a blast is an understatement!

When we saw these family bikes being rented out I was a little skeptical as to whether or not we really needed one.  I am SO glad I let my dad talk me into it (not that he had to try that hard) as he waited in line to rent a stroller for Logan.  We needed one because we only had a small stroller since the airline wouldn't let me take the double sit and stand we purchased just for this trip because it was THREE pounds over the limit for a carryon.  I'm a little sour about this.  You'll probably see it on craigslist in the near future.  But that's not here nor there.  Back to the family bike--it made the trip to the zoo so enjoyable.

 Shortly after arriving we found a splash ground and HAD to stop.  It's one of what will be two this summer at the zoo.  The one that they're in the process of building is pretty incredible.  I'm not much into doing outdoor things in the summer but we may have to peek back in when we're down for Carolyn's wedding just to see the new splash ground.  Which really looks like more of a water playground.  

 We rode through "Africa" and saw the giant elephants:

 The zebras and the giraffes:

 And we seriously spent the entire trip trying to find the lions for Logan and Brody (who roars when asked what a lion says).  We found them at the very end of our trip.

 Logan was so excited about the petting zoo but then refused to get down and touch any of the animals.  She's a girl after mama's own heart.  I wouldn't touch those pigs with a 10 foot pole!  Ew.  Brody, on the other hand, I'm sure will be all about it in a few years.

 We finished off the trip with a ride on the carousel!  The kids had it all to themselves.  

 We timed it perfectly so we'd get there before the crowds and before the heat and as we were leaving there was quite a line to get in the door.  We got to enjoy a relatively empty zoo.

 After several attempts at a picture of all three of them I had to settle with this one:

 The kids were exhausted when we left.  Brody actually fell asleep on my lap in the bike and continued to sleep until we got home and then Logan took quite the nap that afternoon.

 It was such a fun treat after a week of accompanying us to adult appointments.

I captured this next picture on my phone and love the way it turned out--it really captured the emotion both kids had for most of the morning while we were there:

And I have to take a second to brag on the zoo a little.  I am not a big fan of Miami customer service--in general they want you in and out the door and don't seem to care how you are treated as long as you pay them.  This was not the case here at all.  Everyone we encountered talked to us, when we looked lost someone came right up to us, unprompted, and helped us figure out where to head.  Even the people carting animal food around stopped to greet us.  The zoo was really clean, very well kept and the experience was certainly one I'd love to have again in the future!  Definitely would purchase an annual pass if we lived down there.  Logan would like to make sure that I thank Granddaddy, again for the experience, she's still talking about it pretty constantly 2 days later.