Cincinnati Zoo

A few months ago Ted switched squadrons.  He's doing essentially the same job, just for a different group.  His old squadron gave him a going-away gift that was incredibly thoughtful--7 tickets to the Cincinnati Zoo, 7 wristbands for the rides, and a free parking pass!  A day at the zoo wouldn't have been very cheap for our family, and as we had never been to this zoo before, we were excited to go.  We decided Columbus Day would be the perfect opportunity--cooler weather, low crowds, and the bonus of actually coinciding with school topics, LOL.  (We've been studying the animal kingdom in science!)

All in all, it was a very good day.  We didn't take tons of pictures...I'll just post a couple of my favorites.  The zoo is a very nice one--you'd never know it's in the middle of the city!  The kids especially enjoyed the elephant show.  (I've never seen an elephant SKIP before!)  And the train ride and merry-go-round rides were a hit, of course.  The nocturnal creatures building was very fun; we got to see a barn owl, and since one of the main characters in the Guardians of Ga'Hoole series is that species, it was a big moment when the owl finally turned its head and we were able to see "Soren!"  The girls were especially taken with the baby chimps and bonobos hanging onto their moms.  (It reminded me of trying to cook dinner with Lucan hanging on to my legs, ha!)

Charis wrote a poem about our experiences.  (If you don't have access to her blog, let me know and I'll send you an invitation--her blog is private.)