Old Friends, New Friends

On the 6th, we met up with an old college friend and teammate, Sarah, at the Zango Zoo.  She was joining her hubby on business for the week and they brought along their little cutie, Ashbey.

At 13 months old, Ashbey likes to stick her fingers in people's facial features.  And, at 4 1/2 years old, Emily likes baby fingers in her mouth.

Our first photo op was on top of the panther. Ashbey didn't love hanging out at the back...

and felt much more secure in Emily's clutches.  Crowded too, perhaps.

We spent the longest time with the polar bears, and the kids loved to crawl around in the tunnels.

After walking a decent portion of the zoo, we were back up at the front with the lion.  Emily and Everett wanted a picture on every statue they saw up there.  So we hit the lion...

and Mbongo, the gorilla...

before checking out the bear.

"B-b-b-bear?!?!" ...

"Get me out of here!!!!"

One final group shot...

before the new friends gave big hugs...

 and kisses good bye.

What a fun little visit!  We can't wait for the next one!

Oh, one other thing.  The day before going to the zoo, Emily told me that she wanted to take Minnie with her.  I told her that taking Minnie in the car would be fine but that she couldn't go in the zoo with us.  "Besides, elephants are afraid of mice, so Minnie would scare the elephants!!"  Emily was totally on board with not scaring the elephants as she went to bed but the first thing she said to me the next morning (after waking an hour early and, I am sure, laying there thinking about Minnie and the elephants) was, "Mama, I realized something.  Minnie has clothes on and the elephants won't recognize that she is a mouse!!!!!!"  She was so excited to have solved the issue and while I assured her that it was a great plan, Minnie was still not going in the zoo.  I suggested that we take some pictures to share with Minnie.  So, first thing after Emily got back in the car she gathered Minnie AND Mickey on her lap to show them the video she took for them of the polar bear.  I think they appreciated it!

*the polar bear video...