feeling better and getting out

i might only have gotten 5 hours of sleep last night, but they were five continuous hours and i feel like a new person!  the boys and i are suffering from cabin fever and we were not going to stay home today.  yes, i have a hundred and one things to do, but i always have a hundred and one things to do.  and if we didn't get out of the house someone wasn't going to make it (and i am fairly sure it was going to be me).  so to the zoo!  we haven't been in a while and the weather was going to be beautiful - not a cloud in the sky and almost 80.

manning and maddux were both much, much better.  manning still wasn't quite himself, but at least he wasn't feverish and would crawl around happily as opposed to sitting and screaming when i set him down.

we all needed this.  and it was a wonderful idea!  the boys were thrilled and the fresh air did us all a lot of good.  we even ran into a few friends (we were not the only ones to have the same idea).

sorry that there are so many pictures (and a lot of the same poses/scenes) but they were just so cute and happy that i couldn't resist.

maddux was almost big enough to flap the wings...

 my very handsome lunch dates. :)

i wouldn't let them ride the merry-go-round but they were happy to pose on the stationary, decorative lion.

 manning was pretty happy after lunch and was apparently still hungry...

we all found the splash from the fountains to be a refreshing break from the 'heat'.  manning thought it was pretty ticklish on his toes and keep laughing and reaching for it.

we had tried to buy some popcorn at lunch time but the line was very long.  mason wouldn't let it go and insisted that we try again on our way out.  the line was just as long but moving much more quickly so we waited.  the boys all enjoyed the popcorn and i think they enjoyed the break from the sun in the cafe too.  we were taking some silly close-up pictures to pass the time.  mason was trying to make 'kissy' faces but kept laughing.

on the way out mason took a dollar bill that an older man gave him at bjs this morning and threw it into the fountain out front!  i didn't believe him at first.  he had asked for a penny and i asked him if he brought any.  and then he told me that he put his dollar in instead!  i tried to find it (more so that it wouldn't clog the pump), but it was gone.  oh well.

i love a nice day!  all three boys conked out on the ride home.  it was all worth it for the quiet 30 minutes i had on the drive home.  that is the longest period of quiet i have had in weeks.  it was heaven!  love.