Zoo!

This summer (possibly every summer?) Meijer sponsored a $1 zoo day!  It was only $1 per person to get in, and they waived the parking fee (my favorite!)

So, we packed up a lunch, and after dropping Alice off* and headed to the zoo.  It took us a mere 15 minutes to get there.  Which meant that we arrived just mere minutes after they opened for the day, so we had our choice of parking.

My mom made up some zoo bingo cards, and the library was having a raffle if you turned in a completed scavenger hunt.

Everyone posing as bearcats (their school mascot):

We headed for the bird house next, but they don't open until 10.  So, we hung out in the nearby garden and took pictures.

We were the first ones in, but the birds were still snoozing.  William has the magic touch and convinced one to land on his stick.

Emily tried, but it didn't happen = (

The twins doing a twin thing:

Grace did finally convince one to visit her stick.

 

 

Once William was tired, he wanted to go see the goat, so that we could be done.

Avia and I came up with the change so that everyone (even Alice) got a souvenir to take home.

William was being whiny (about going to see the goat,) so they all sat on a bench and said "sad goat."  William was having a hard time not smiling.

After about 3 hours, we finished the bingo and scavenger hunt.  They were offering free ice cream pops on the way out, so everyone grabbed one and ate it on the way to the playground.

They played for another hour or so, finished up the rest of lunch, and then it was finally time to head out.

It is not a big zoo, but there is still one more little nook I have yet to explore, so hopefully next time Alice can join us!

later days

*this was the only day she was a little sad to go to camp