spring is coming

Despite the snow storms back home, spring is starting to show here.  The weather has been beautiful.  We are taking advantage of the warm weather by getting outside as much as possible and if we cannot get outside we at least open the balcony door to get some fresh air inside.

Zoo

On Saturday, the first warm day, we went to the zoo.  It appeared a lot of the city had the same idea.  It was very busy, but the way it is set up you did not have to wait in crazy lines or feel crowded around animals.  We also went back on Wednesday and it was not nearly as busy.  As members of the zoo we just walked right up to the gate, got our cards scanned and in we went.  It was wonderful to not have to wait in line with those who needed to buy tickets like we used to have to do.

Terrance's favorite exibit was the penguins.  There is a neat building where you can see into the tanks and also up onto the land.  The penguins are free to come inside and outside as they wish.  A few of them had gone outside to enjoy the sunshine.

This is the outside of the penguin exhibit.  The penguins were swimming around in the water and making the boys laugh.  They really are silly looking animals with how they move around.



Jack was very excited to see the hippos and the giraffes.  They were both in the same building - their winter home.  The giraffes were looking quite sad on Saturday but when we went back on Wednesday the doors were open and the giraffes were up and walking around.  The hippos had ventured outside.  It was neat to see hippos so far from water, you really got to see just how huge they really are!

This tank is the hippos winter enclosure.  It is quite a massive building, with lots of fake trees to make it look like Africa.  Across from the tank is seating so you can sit and watch the animals. 

The first day we spent 2 hours at the zoo and barely made it through half, and spending 5 hours there the second day we still did not see everything.  Lucas and Jack loved looking at the bisons - they are HUGE animals and they could get quite close to the animals at different viewing points.  Jack was very excited to see the bears, and sat looking at them for quite some time - it was so cute that I just watched him, but now I wish I had taken a picture.  Our last animal of the day we saw was the elephant.  Jack was exhausted by this point, but Lucas loved them. 








All across the zoo they had stands where you could put your head through the hole and you could become the animal. Of course the boys had to run up to them yelling "Mommy! Take my picture!"
 

Ian loved the zoo.  Both times we went, it was at nap time.  We expected him to fall asleep in his stroller but he was having so much fun that he would not fall asleep.  He just took everything in - looking around at all the people, and the animals and the scenery.

















Balcony

We have also been lucky to be able to enjoy our wonderful balcony.  It faces south so has sun at all times of the day.  We can watch the sun rise in the morning and the sun set in the evening.

We have put the boys' sandbox out on the balcony, though it does not have sand yet.  Jack is very excited for the time we add sand. 

Both Lucas and Jack have had a fun time bringing random trucks out onto the balcony - it has been a construction site, garbage dump, and many other places.  We will be getting an outdoor toy bin for toys that remain outside once they are full of sand.  The deck boards provide for an excellent race track as well, with built in lanes for the cars to follow.

We are also planning on putting some planters on each end of the balcony to have a little garden.  Jack has requested beans and Lucas would like cherry tomatoes.




Ian loves going outside and tries to escape every time the door is open.  The only problem is there is a step down onto the patio and he does not quite know how to go down.  We have avoided face plants into the deck so far, but I know I will blink one day and it will, unfortunately, happen.

Ian is also fascinated by the screen door.  Luckily, when we moved in, there was already tape patching holes on the screen.  He tries to go in through the screen more than he tries to go out. 





The good things about spending so much time outside is that the boys tend to get tired.  Jack has actually napped - well, passed out from exhaustion - this past week.