boo at the zoo preview

it wasn't really a 'preview' day but it felt like it since everything was already decorated for boo at the zoo.  it makes us really excited to come back!

last week i had invited a neighbor to join us at the zoo, only to pick mason up from school with a fever.  so i asked her again this week and felt pretty good about our chances.  it was a gorgeous day.  it was almost too cold for our shorts when we got there, but by the time we were leaving it was fairly warm out.  the best part about going during the school year that we practically had the place to ourselves!

one great thing about being there early on a cool day is that the animals  are really active.  manning couldn't get enough of the snow leopard pacing at the top of the exhibit.  he was just pointing and 'talking' excitedly.  he might have stayed there all day.

maddux wore head to toe orange today (socks, shorts, underwear, shirt and sweatshirt) and his kind brother found him an orange 'lollypop' so we had to take a picture!  mason wore some orange shorts too in a show of solidarity.  the "lollypops" were so cute.  they are pool 'noodles' coiled up which i thought was a pretty great idea.

i tried to let manning walk around a little at the zoo.  he is still working on the staying with me concept (well, he is working on the run away laughing concept.  i am working on the staying with me...) so i can't let him loose for too long.  i will say that he did pretty good today.  he did want to stay with us.  i think he was so excited about being able to go and see whatever he wanted to up close, that he wasn't even thinking about running away. 

our neighbor (and her daughter) treated mason and maddux to a ride on the train while manning and i watched.

mason is a sucker for a cutout (is there another name for these?) so we had to stop and snap a few pictures with the zoo mascot on our way out.

it was such a great day for the zoo and it looks like they have some great things set-up and planned for boo at the zoo!  we can't wait!  love.