NOT Just Another Trip to the Zoo

We really enjoy visiting the MN Zoo. It's just such a good outing for our two busy little boys. They love the space to run from one exhibit to the next, and of course, they are fascinated by the animals.

Today, we met up with our favorite girls, S & R, and took off for the Tropics. The animals were especially active today and we were able to get up close and personal with a lemur. . .


See the spectacular colors of the flamingos . . .


And sneak a peek at the Tortoises. (One even, dare I say, cruised across his habitat right in front of us. I've never seen a tortoise move so quickly - relatively speaking!!)
After we finished up in the Tropics, we gobbled up some snacks and headed over to the Ocean exhibit. Unfortunately, the dolphins are in training right now, so there wasn't a show today, but the kids love the sharks and sting ray pool so they weren't too disappointed.

Often times, it's so busy with school groups and families, that the boys have to take their turn putting their hands in and then move out the of way for other kids, but today was different. We had our pick of spots to stand, and no one else was waiting for a turn, so we just took our time watching the sharks and sting rays swim under our finger tips.

The same was true at the Tide Pool. All four kids were having a blast standing at the edge of the pool watching the waves crash over the rocks. A perfect day at the Zoo, right? Oh so we thought . . . Suddenly, and literally, in the blink of an eye, N leaned over the edge of the plexiglass and plunged head first into the swirling waters of the tide pool!!!

Karen and I screamed and grabbed him out as quickly as we could, but he was soaked from the waist up, and freezing!! We stripped off his wet clothes, and thankfully, he was too stunned to start crying. Karen had an extra shirt (light blue with sparkly snowflakes!!) and he still had a dry hooded sweatshirt that I had taken off earlier, so we dried him off the best we could and tried to warm him up.

He was a little trooper and the other kids didn't seem to think it was anything but funny! I however was pretty shook up, and wondering how much of that "water" little N had managed to swallow during his submersion. I guess we'll find out in a few hours!

(Here's E pointing out the spot where N took the plunge!)

All in all, it was another great trip, but definitely a little more adventurous than our previous visits!