Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh my!

One of my favorite things about living on the East Coast is that we are so close to so many wonderful things. Unfortunately, I haven't always taken the time to get out and do them as often as I should. Thank goodness for girlfriends though! We decided to get together and head down to the National Zoo in D.C. for an afternoon. We had the most perfect day, well, maybe a little too hot for the Fall, but otherwise, just gorgeous. I have long maintained that my most favorite time at the zoo is in the Fall because the animals are moving around and doing things instead of just trying to survive the heat. Plus the crowds are better and it isn't as hot for us either! My theory was proved correct once again.

We saw the Panda Bears climbing all over, eating, and just being so adorable. The kids were mesmerized. Anna liked the elephants and they were busy putting dirt on each other. For some reason, she was fixated on seeing the lions that day. By the time we finally got to them, it was well worth the walk. The female did choke up a hairball which was very interesting and disgusting all at the same time. The male was awesome...he was drinking from the river and playing with toys. She was in heaven.

The only bad part about the zoo was that they trick you when you are walking. You don't realize how many vertical feet you have dropped as you see all the animals, but when you have to get back to the car it is nearly a death march! Overall, it was a fantastic day. The kids were great, the animals were amazing, and it was just fun to be out and about in D.C. What a great opportunity to live so close to the nation's capital!

Some Highlights of the Day:

Camie, Anna, Lane and Ashley sitting on the rock near the Pandas.








Lane, Camie, and Anna peering into the cages of some gross reptile.

The stare down with the Kimodo
Anna spent several minutes staring at the Kimodo Dragon. The other kids had moved on, but she just stood there. It is a weird looking animal, but they just stared at each other and had a moment or something?!?

Which family is the most tired?
Jenny and Ashley, Mindy and Anna, Erika and Maddie, Jodi and Chloe, Serena holding Camie, Lauren holding Lane, and baby Holden was already well into dreamland in the stroller.