Trip to the Dallas Zoo

My sister, Jen, and her family came to Texas this summer to visit. 

It was the first time we have ALL been together for a few years, and it was so much fun. It was the first time I had been able to meet her son, Creighton, and spend some time with a very grown-up Cayden. I love my sisters! Having them ALL around me for a whole week was such a blast.

We tried to plan some fun things here and there. 

So, one of the days, we made a trip to the Dallas Zoo.

We are lucky to live smack dab in between two great zoos. We had some free tickets from Bella's school, so we opted to visit the Dallas Zoo this time around, even tho my favorite one is the Ft Worth Zoo.

I always feel like the animals are SO much closer to us at the Dallas Zoo, 

but Ft Worth is so much more sprawling.

All the grandkids...and John.

 Let's take a closer look at this pic....

Jax was M-A-D. 

Don't know why. Could have been anything. Probably: mommy-quit-taking-pictures-I-want-to-go-in-the-zoorightnow! Something like that. Poor fella.

 Best things about the zoo:
Anything that gets you up close and personal with animals..... like feeding the birds.

 ....and having them sit on your head and shoulders (knees and toes, knees and toes).

 ....like I said, up close and personal with the animals. In this case: Jax and Carl.

 Trying out all the attractions.
We totally bribed Hannah to get in the Hurricane Simulator. She was all "this is nothing" until it started to really blow. Haha, good times.

 Being summer in Texas, it was a hot day. Like Hot, capital H.
Wouldn't it be nice to just be able to hunker down in the mud on a day like that??
Lucky.

 I took several pictures of the kids posing by this statue.
But had to post this one because of the beautiful photo bomb Hannah attempted and achieved.
Genius.

 Speaking of hotter than hot of days....
The zoo was prepared Ü with these misters placed all over. The kiddos (Emily included) got a kick out of them.

 Carl was just the right height to catch the majority of the spray. Lil sweetie got quite soaked!

 Penguins are a favorite in our family.
This guy seemed to love us, just as much as we loved him.

 We stopped by the giraffe exhibit just in time for lunch.
Giraffe's are amazing animals....long necks, long tongues, the patterns on their skin/fur....just gorgeous.

 The whole gang....minus mom and dad, the picture takers.
I love these people.
Love.