Zoology here we come!

Thanks for the info on the zoo! All the comments on there being tonnes of walking sold us out on it! We'd been debating on going for a walk, or some other sort of thing, so now we got two things done! The science center may be a great idea for us to frequent in the future. I notice they have a section for kids 8 and under. So that probably means that there may be a few things for a three year old, but Melanie would've been pretty left out. We'll give it a shot some time though!

Now for the zoo...we could not have timed it better! Not only was it pleasantly warm and sunny, but yet with a fresh cool breeze, it was also not busy! Also it was colorful--my favorite time of year! (Oh--have I mentioned that already? ;) ) Timing was also great for us parents. Not that we ever would admit that we sometimes lack what we need as perfect parents ;) but we were both due for a relaxing day to de-stress. Ahhhhh. *deep relaxing sounding sigh*


A prowling snow leopard. It's my best animal picture, so it deserves the large size! (Which means the pictures only get worse from here on in. :o ) There were two of these, and one was sleeping up on a platform, while this one was pacing back and forth like it had lost a few marbles. They're fenced in area wasn't very large, so maybe s(he) was losing it! :o Maybe I should become an animal rights activist. ;)


Now, this is a wild dog of sorts. I really thought it was a fox, and still do. Maybe they got the labels messed up because a fox is too commonplace. Perhaps one of my informed readers could point out the fine differences between a wild dog and a fox.


All right, does everyone have a good view from here?


Not sure what these were anymore. Some sorta bighorn sheep mountain goat species.


Nathan is asking some technical question about the animals while peeping at them. Melanie is doing her own thing.


Lunch break for the hungry family. Ryvita with peanut butter, plus yogurt for desert. For future reference, No Name is not recommended as a brand.


What's this. Oh well, may as well try it...


I got to see an elephant!!!!! These kind are apparently the biggest species, and I thought they looked a bit smallish in comparison with my imagination. A let down for me, but still nice to finally see then live! Neat to watch them eat. The also were chucking dirt on themselves...was that for lack of water? Kinda weird, but fun to watch.


The hippos were cool too, and I learned that they spend most of their day eating. They need to eat lots 'cause they process very little of it, but still need the vitamins and calories. But it's not wasted, as it's recycled by other herbivores. Mmmm... I didn't get to see them walk on land, but it seemed like their legs would be pretty tired after even a short trek. Man they're fat!


Watching the hippopotamuses come up for air and go back down to feed again.
"Where'd it go?"
"Gone!"
"Dere it is!"
(A one sided conversation by Melanie)


A lazy lion. He was roaring before and after we viewed, but decided we weren't worth humoring. Alas!


"Are they dead Mommy?"
Nathan was convinced the hyena's were dead (far left) as all they did was lay motionless. Melanie thought he was on to something.


And they had giraffes too!! Not I've seen it all!! I still think I'd like to go to Africa, 'cause I think seeing them in the zoo versus seeing them in the wilds would be a more fulfilling experience. Maybe I could go on a jungle safari before I hike up Kilimanjaro with the family.


A dwarf crocodile. Another motionless creature. Too bad we weren't allowed to liven them up. *Cackle cackle!*


Can you count the fishies?


Yup, we're both wiped out.


Nothing of note here, except that I thought the reflections were cool. And it's a pretty natural pose of both kids. Nathan either asked about the animals, or theorized for himself. Melanie watched. She also would climb closer if she could manage it...good thing the big cats were inaccessible. ;)


One down...and where is my room? (As Melanie would say.) Maybe I could squeeze in the other side and rest my weary soul.


The boardwalks, as are all boardwalks, were a hit. The kids did a fare bit of walking off and on, and were wiped by the end. But they took it all in, and had a good time. So did we. :)


By 4:30 (closing time) we got to see the tigers. They were pacing in front of their door, obviously waiting for something important. Sure enough a keeper came and let them through, one at a time, to go into their covered shelter for some fresh rabbit meat. Mmm.

We probably only saw half of the animals and displays. Could easily come back and saunter through more often! Anyone else want to come for a not-quite-free-but-very-interesting walk? Three of us five were free, another great bonus for the day. :) Better go a bunch more times before next May so that we can sneak our 3-and-under's in while we can.

And to conclude:
A lovely piece of our day recorded for your viewing and listening pleasure.

That's all for now, folks.

Time stands still.

My life as it was exactly a couple minutes ago.


Lunch dishes waiting patiently on the table and in the kitchen. Waiting to be put away. If only I were that patient. A lesson to be learned from the inanimate.


Some fat kid that was hogging the doorway, which I had to ever so carefully hop over every trip to the kitchen. Perhaps that's why the dishes are still waiting...


"Oooh, a camera!! I've never tried a camera. I wonder what a camera tastes like...better go check it out!"


A not so well behaved girl.


A well behaved boy.

Melanie thought it was a rip off that Nathan got to look at books in bed (usually we sneak them past her, but she found out this time!) So she thought she'd try getting some toys for herself instead. Stinker!


Our very own bloodhound! He tracked me to the gate, where he could go no further.

Oh--and some advice. If you are going to high jump over a gate, make up your mind about it, and don't decide not to when you're already flying through the air. Thankfully this gate is pretty rickety, and will come loose on impact. :)

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

I made another snowman. But the novelty was gone. So I was all alone. Poor me. Poor unappreciated snowman. And now he has toppled, like his ancestor.


How could a wheelbarrow be more exciting than making a snowman?



'Cause you can fill it with snow, of course!!




Got lots of odds and ends to do today. Can't procrastinate forever!

What a zoo.

I've never been to a zoo before. Ever.
But I live in one, so why should I want to go way out and see one? So much work, AND money.
But we DON'T have live elephants here, or giraffes. Which I'd love to see. Just monkeys, pigs, and monsters.

But yeah, I thought we could try camping for a day this week, but then I went outside. Brr!! So we thought maybe the Toronto zoo. It looks like they have several buildings with animals in a sheltered spots. Is that true? It might be chilly, and might not be, when we might go (still only an idea). But if it's got sheltered places to spend most of the time, then we could go inside as a back up, and brave the cold going from spot to spot, if that's what we had to do.

Anyone have ideas of a good day adventure in TO?

A sorted assortment.

I forgot to introduce our One-Day-Snowman.

The kids were pretty proud of him. They both helped roll a snowball. Nathan's got bigger, Melanie's got smaller. Eventually she kicked hers (to roll it the lazy way) which was it's downfall.


A faithful audience. Today as we went shopping (I walked all the blustery blustery windy way there) I had at least two people ask me if I had triplets. OK, so they're bundled up and the size is a bit hard to get exactly, BUT STILL! I didn't think they looked like triplets. But I replied politely anyways.


Hmmm...now what should we do with it?


"Ahem, please be careful. Don't step on my toes--oh wait, I don't have any toes!!"


Oh how the mighty have fallen. I propped him up once, but warned Nathan that that was it. I'm not interested in running out every five minutes to patch a rapidly melting snowman. Nathan almost cried. The snowman definately cried.


"Lemme out!"


"Vroom, vroom.... We're driving a sport car Mom!"
"OK, drive carefully!"
"Erch!"

"OK Melanie, GET OUT!"
(bossy man driver--I'd leave too!)
Later Nathan got mad when he'd parked the car, but Melanie stayed in it and went "vroom".
"No, Melanie, you can't drive now!! It's parked!!!..."
--Mommy Roze intervenes to prevent bloodshed.


Hyper kids being chased. :)


A lovely project I'm working on is potty training Melanie. It's definately a project. We've tried it a couple time before--but all of this on her own initiative. This time I'm trying to make it a completed project...but we'll see if that lasts.


Unleavened bread anyone? Maybe my yeast is just messed up. 'Cause I have another one just like it...and it's pretty short too. The kids were excited 'cause they thought it was banana bread. Heehee.

When Momma ain't happy, Ain't NOBODY happy!

Maybe I don't looks so mad here, but just wait for the details. After all, I'm not holding a perpetrator here, but a thoughtful helper.


A guilty guilty girl. She, for the second or third time now, has induced vomiting at the breakfast table, by taking a super big bite and gagging on it excessively. I've seen her get super big bites down no problem, and of course, I've seen her take proper bites--which she is supposed to do. So yeah, I felt PRETTY upset!! Fortunately I restrained myself from physical violence once again (five stars for me! *****) and sent her to her room instead. She was sitting so quietly, that I knew something was up. Yup--she was happily reading through some literature to fill in the boredom. That, also, was an unpardonable offense.


When I took her books away and said she had to wait longer now, she wasn't as excited to see me.


Someone is cruising around now! It's very exciting, but also very nerve racking. Nothing is safe anymore! You tell him no, or give him a slap on the wrist, and he thinks it's all so funny. But he's very cute about it. :) Almost irresistibly cute. Maybe that's why he gets away with it. :o But yeah, I have to put the gate up by the stairs any time he is up, and I have to close the doors and watch him very closely whenever he is AT LARGE. Books and papers are especially vulnerable. He has a real appetite for them, so they don't last long. He ate half an empty toilet paper roll in two minutes. Yummo! Extra fiber!


What a cute little monster!