A Trip to the Zoo

A little over one week ago we went to the Zoo. "We" included my Mom and three of her kids (Olivia, Enoch and I) and three of her grandkids (Oaklee, Bridger and Kimbri)! It was super fun!

**Word of warning....this post contains probably close to 50 pictures so be prepared**

So this is Kimbri while we were waiting for my mom who was in line getting tickets for the zoo. I decided to have her wear her pink and zebra print bow that my friend Diana gave her. Zebra print... come on, it's soooo fitting for a day at the zoo :)

I'm not sure what animal this was. In this picture whatever animal this is just looks like a dark brown or black blob. Haha! But Kimbri was very interested in it!

Olivia, Bridger, and Enoch... sorry Enoch, I cut off part of your face in the picture.

Enoch, Bridger and Oaklee in front of the elephants!

Mommy and Kimbri in front of the baby elephant.

After seeing probably half of the animals at the zoo we took a little break at some picnic tables and had a little lunch. Yum!

The GIRL cousins!!! And they were even matching! Pink and white striped outfits :) In the first picutre Kimbri was looking but Oaklee's eyes were closed and in the second picture Oaklee was looking and Kimbri was looking away :) But these girls are super adorable either way!!

After lunch the kids had to spend some time on the metal rhino.

Enoch

Enoch and Oaklee...and some other kids that I don't know.

Enoch and Oaklee again with their cute smiles!

Unfortunately Kimbri was not able to sit by herself  on the rhino :)

Bridger loved the riding in the wagon around the Zoo!

Next we visited the indoor area where there were tons of different snakes, spiders, and even.... a sand cat? I had never seen or heard of one of those before. And in the middle there is a room with birds flying around and turtles hanging out in the dirt under the walkways. 

Then we visited the giraffes....one of my favorite zoo animals!

I believe this was the gorilla area....

Olivia...Enoch....Oaklee...Bridger 

After most all of the animals we went to the carousel. And all the kids loved it! Kimbri was asleep the first time around but here we are: Olivia helping Bridger sit on the polar bear, Oaklee in the middle and I was in the back. To the right of the picture is Enoch on a tiger.

Here's a better shot of Enoch on the tiger:

I always loved these as a kid! Where you get to go inside a cave thing and poke your head out. These kids all seemed to have fun doing this do.

Oaklee

Enoch

Bridger and Olivia in the top one.

After that we crossed this bridge to the park where the kids went down the slide, sat on the fake crocodile, went down the slide, sat on the big play spider, and sat in enormous eggs and just had a great old time. Kimbri woke up just in time to do some playing herself :)

Bridger is such a handsome little boy!

Enoch helping Bridger go down the slide.

Some egg pictures... sitting in the egg was a major hit! They loved it!

Kimbri hanging out on the crocodile....

and in the egg.

More crocodile pictures. In the second picture down Oaklee and Bridger had a blast putting wood chips in the crocodiles mouth:)

Kimbri going down the slide with Olivia

After playing at the little park area for quite a while we all headed to the little train that goes around the Zoo. Kimbri kept grabbing at the tickets and had to have one ticket in each hand....

All of us on the train!

Kimbri and Bridger hanging out inside the Zoo shop.

And to end the day we all went one more time on the carousel. Kimbri got to come this time since she had finally woke up from her nap. Kimbri is sitting on an Okapi....which I had never heard of...and later found out that although it has markings like a Zebra on its legs, it's more closely related to the giraffe. Anyway... know you know what an Okapi is and here is Kimbri sitting on one. She loved the carousel. 

And on our way out of the Zoo Enoch was just dying to have his picture taken on the trunk of the big metal elephant :) We had so much fun spending a day at the Zoo!! 

Easter Weekend!

This past weekend was pretty relaxing! Saturday morning was the exception, I guess, where Kimbri and I were trying to get the house cleaned. But that evening when Rick got home we decided to go on a walk to the park. The one we went to is only just a few blocks from our house and is called Joaquin Park. We've gone there a few different times as the weather has gotten so nice but I wish SO badly that I had my camera/video camera with us that time because we put her in one of the baby swings ( the kind that they can sit down in and that goes all the way around them so they don't fall out) and she was loving it so much!!! She was laughing and squealing and having the time of her life! After a while another couple came up and put there baby in the swing next to Kimbri and their baby started crying:( I guess she was scared or something. But Kimbri was not...she probably could've stayed in that swing all night long. Haha! We most definitely will be going back soon...and I will be taking my video camera with us to try and document how much she loves swinging!

Here's a picture of Kimbri from a different day that we went to the park:

After our adventure to the park we walked home and put Kimbri to bed. Then Rick and I watched the first X-men movie. I've never seen it and this movie is Rick's favorite of the 'marvel movies'.  And I quite liked it too. Enough that I want to see the sequels.

Sunday morning, like Saturday morning, was a bit busy as well. When we first woke up we let Kimbri dig around in her Easter basket and play with the plastic Easter eggs. She LOVED the Easter eggs and practically had to have one in at least one of her hands almost all of the times. For Easter she got some 'mixed grain' cereal, some new Puffs (blueberry and sweet potato flavors),  some Gerber cookies, and a big pink ball.

Here are some pictures of her with her Easter basket goodies...and notice how she almost always has an Easter egg in at least one of her hands :-)

She had just woke up in this picture :)

Yes, she went right for the cookies!

"I want to play with the ball but I don't want to let go of these Easter eggs!!"

Having so much fun with the Easter eggs!

After letting Kimbri enjoy her Easter basket and all the colorful eggs we fed her and also let her try one of her cookies...she LOVES food. And here's some pictures to prove how much she loved her cookie:

Haha! I love her facial expressions :) While she ate her yummy cookie Rick and I ate french toast for breakfast. Then we bathed Kimbri, made pumpkin chocolate chip cookies (we promised to make cookies for one of our class members' birthday- we teach the 14-15 year old Sunday school class), put Kimbri down for her morning nap, finished up our lesson, got ready for church, had a quick lunch as we were rushing out the door, literally, and arrived barely in time for church to start.

Daddy Daughter Easter Picture :)

Easter 2012

The rest of the day was great! So fun and relaxing. After church we went down to Spanish Fork to my parents house for dinner. It was way fun to be around so much family and just spend time together. Dinner was so yummy too, as always! Grilled chicken, homemade rolls, fruit, veggies and of course, deviled eggs :) We spent the evening outside in the backyard. The weather was soooo great! All the little kids enjoyed a fun Easter egg/candy hunt and it was just such a fun day!

Here are some more pictures from the evening:

Kimbri still loving the Easter eggs!

Kimbri kept pulling the cat's hair...the cat didn't seem to mind at all.

Bridger riding the toy four wheeler:

Oaklee and Enoch were having fun playing on the slide:

Olivia was pulling Kimbri around in the wagon and Rick decided to join in on the fun ;-)

Puffs ~ She Loves Them

About two weeks ago I bought some Gerber Graduates 'Puffs' for Kimbri.  Banana and Strawberry Apple flavors. At first I was breaking them up into very small pieces and giving them to her because she doesn't have any teeth yet so I didn't want her to choke. Well, since they pretty much just melt in her mouth I've now been giving her whole ones.

A few days ago I was trying to teach Kimbri how to pick them up and eat them by herself. She would get one in between her fingers and then just drop it again. So when she'd get it in her fingers I grab her arm and  guide it to her mouth. After many times doing this over and over she did it by herself...once. And only once. But then the next day I put some on her tray and helped her several more times and oh boy, she's got it down! 

Heres a video of it:

She totally LOVES eating these... and they are a life saver sometimes when we're in the car and I have to hold her off just a little bit longer :) 

It's Spring!

The weather has been so wonderful! Kimbri and I have been enjoying going on walks around the South end of campus (to the duck pond occasionally) and to the park just a few blocks away. It's just so nice outside! And the tree in front of our house is covered in blossoms!

Here's proof:

Kimbri enjoyed the blossoms too :-)

These are the flowers that are all in bloom in our backyard. I decided it would be cute to take a couple pictures of Kimbri in front of them.

She kept grabbing at the flowers when I was trying to take the pictures:)

This was when Kimbri and I were in Spanish Fork for the Saturday General Conference sessions. In between the two sessions we went outside and enjoyed the extremely nice weather!

I love Spring time when the world starts to become so beautiful and green after several months of cold and winter. And I'm looking forward to many more outside walks and adventures over the next several months!!