topeka family

lucky for us we get to visit my aunt and uncle in topeka while we are in kansas.  they live about an hour from papa and nana so it isn't a bad drive at all.  funny enough madelyn remembered the topeka zoo from our one visit two years ago and not the milwaukee zoo which we went to much more often and more recently.

papa and nana were able to join us on our visit and the weather was amazing!  it was cool and breezy up until the time we finished lunch.  i could not (and still can't) get over how nice the weather was for us!  such a blessing since this was one of the days we were going to be outside the longest.  it must have been 20 degrees cooler in topeka than it was at papa and nana's.

first we went to the topeka zoo, which is very nice.  the zoo isn't that big but they ofter a large selection of animals (more than we have here at a larger zoo), the property is very well cared for and the animals seem to be in good health and very clean.  the kids really enjoyed it.  not to mention that we had great company!

madelyn blowing on the raisin box whistle great aunt blake taught her to make

 we didn't need manning's cooling system this time, but we were ready with it if he showed any signs on getting hot.  he really liked looking around outside and kept giving glimmers of a smile (when he wasn't 'talking' to the trees).

mason, me, aunt blake, madelyn and uncle rob (big pop's brother)

maddux is so expressive.  he doesn't speak as much as he is able to say, but there is no question about how he feels or wants at any given moment.

 madelyn insisted that i take her picture in all four penguin cutouts since no one wanted to join her.

after the zoo we went to mcdonalds for a quick lunch (last time we had a picnic but had thought that it would be too hot this time).  then it was time for the carousel.  the kids love a carousel and this is an old/traditional/historic one.  some of the horses even have real tail hair.  madelyn chose this one that had flowers, bows, rhinestones and rainbow stripes - aka madelyn written all over it.

papa treated everyone to the ride and he got enough tickets that i think the kids got three or four rides in total.  they thought that it was great to switch animals after each turn and try out a few.  i could barely watch because it turns pretty quickly and gets to my stomach a little.  thankfully, i didn't have to ride.

being that it is kansas, there are wizard of oz cutouts next to the carousel.  it occurred to me that next time we will be able to fill all of them with our 'big' kids.

next on our fun tour was the train ride that goes around the entire park/zoo property.  it is a 10 minute ride and the kids were very excited about it.  it also gave me enough time (with their waiting to leave time too) to nurse maddux. it was so nice to sit and enjoy the breeze on such a nice day.  matt took the camera and got some good pictures of everyone enjoying the ride.

and then he did a 'study' of maddux.  this kid has a million expressions.  you can see he enjoyed the ride and got just a little too comfortable.

matt took a sleeping maddux off the train and put him straight into the van.  then i gave him maddux and he went to get gas while the other two and the rest of the grown-ups enjoyed the playground.  it was just starting to feel warm/hot and we were thankful for the shade.  when matt got back we said our good-byes.  i am so glad that we are able to visit with them too!  when i asked madelyn what her favorite part of the day was she said, "the carousel, the train, the elephants and giraffes and seeing them".

once we got back home manning got a little 'free time' (meaning not buckled into something).  he loves being upright.  he is a kid that is going to be way, way happier when he can sit on his own.  i have a feeling that he is going to be more like madelyn and maddux in the busy department than sitting contently like mason did.  we will know soon enough if i am right...

 and mason just being mason.  he is one happy kid (at least when he isn't tired).  love.