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I remember the first time I drove to the zoo here I laughed, because it was so unlike a "real" zoo that I was used to from the "city" - 

I will miss this zoo!  The way your kids can run wild because it's so small you can always see them, and there are so few people that they don't get in anyone's way.  The way you can be done with it in 30 minutes (seeing everything but the buffalo) or stay for 4 hours and still have to drag the kids away (usually we are the latter.)  The hiking trails just past the buffalo where you can wander the afternoon away.  The old (mostly empty but apparently fascinating) house that's only open in the summer, and the old machinery behind it that breaks if you try to hang on it (we've seen it happen!)   

One day we were headed to the zoo here and I was singing to Carter a song about "we're going to the zoo, zoo, zoo, to see the lions and the wild zebras too…" that named a few other zoo animals.  He kept saying "no, mom!" until I started making up my own version with the animals this zoo has – otters, wolves, badgers, cyotes… and then "Yeah, mom, the cyotes!!"  and all of a sudden the song was awesome.  

Because really, what's a zoo without a couple of cyotes.   

Emma (who is saving up for an American Girl Doll and hasn't spent any money in months!) got a duplicate present and decided she would spend the $ from returning it.  Imagine her joy when the first thing she saw upon walking into the toy store was this.  Did she purchase it??

You betcha.   It was on clearance and just in her budget.  What a day.  What a prize.  What a bunny.  What an extremely happy girl.

Saw Emma using some of her birthday presents out on the deck and couldn't help but take a picture.  She is quite the hula hooper!!

Hating to get nostalgic already, I refuse to accept that this was the last campout in the backyard here.  I like to think that maybe there will be another one… and then whether there is or not, it's easier for me. 

As usual, it was a hit with everyone (including Meg, who discovered the dangerous trick of standing on the slide; and Zach, who finally got into s'mores.)

(the kids love to watch/listen from their tents)

I am extremely grateful for this this weekend.  I am certain that there is a prophet on the earth today, and that he speaks God's will for us!  You can watch it by clicking on the link…

opening presents with Nate on the webcam (he was out of town at a conference)

spending birthday afternoon/dinner with her best school friend Brooklyn (here showing off the stuffed monkeys they made)

and an art party with friends after dad came back (honestly, the most fun I've had doing a party ever, and right up her alley.)  

Emma made all the cupcake toppers – art can even be edible!

and the girls all worked together (and were oh so proud) of this enormous paper chain for our gallery show.  

(or something like that!)  
We had "spring" and "Easter" for themes for preschool at our house… and thought it would be fun to roll easter eggs down the hill.  I was sort of right - 

the boys LOVED it.  Except they only rolled them down the hill once with the spoons.  Then it quickly turned into golfing/batting/generalized whacking of the eggs down, up, or sideways on the hill.  They would have been perfectly happy doing this the entire 2 hours of preschool.  

Emma, Carter, and Meg mezmerized by digging for fossils.  And Zach (animatedly) explaining the intricacies of Triceratops to his friends.  Pretty much our entire visit to the Quarry Hill special dinosaur exhibit summed up by just those two photos.  It was a fun night!

Emma and Carter had fun.  Zach had fun.  Meg and I survived.  (Okay, we had a little fun too.)

And a 2nd place finish wasn't too bad either.  Way to go, Zach!