A Weekend Getaway

We have been wanting to get up to the Omaha Zoo with Iz for awhile, but haven't made the trek yet.  We finally managed to find a date that worked, and it worked for Grammy and Popper and the Meyers, too.  We had so much fun--we haven't gotten away together since having kids (so 4+ years), and we had the best time relaxing and playing.  Our rooms were really close to each other, so the kids had a blast running around and "visiting" each other.

We drove up Friday afternoon, ate at Grisanti's, and then went swimming in the hotel pool (even Popper went swimming--woohoo!).  Grammy had come ultra prepared (surprise!) with snacks and toys for the kiddos.  They each got a Dora the Explorer stable as a fun new toy to have at the hotel.  

Somehow, even though they started elsewhere, everyone ended
up by Grammy and Popper by the time dinner was over.  Weird.  

Emily's hotboxes ready for bed in their shorts and t-shirts.
My Munchie in her long sleeves, pants, and pajama dress.  

We ate a hotel breakfast on Saturday morning, and then it was off to the zoo!  We got there about 9:30 and stayed until 3:00.  There is so much stuff to see there, but we had decided we would just see how long we made it and be happy with what we got.  The weather cooperated really nicely all morning--not too hot and the clouds were covering the sun--but warmed up by lunchtime.  We couldn't believe the kids made it as long as they did!

First stop -- the Aquarium!

The penguins

Daddy's favorite part

Iz LOVED the turtles.  We loved her
and Avie's matching rompers.  

 Then off to the safari animals.  Iz had said ahead of time 

that she was most excited about the giraffes (Daddy says 

she might be predisposed to that because of Jerry).  She 

did enjoy watching them quite a bit!

"What he doin'?"

Giraffes outside, too?  What a deal!

"Let's all get close."  Okay, Iz.  Only
6 more weeks until baby boy!  Yay!

"Let's go look at some more stuff in cages."

Mommy's favorite.  We could have stayed here all day talking to this guy.

1:00pm (this is her usual nap time)  After an emotional
outburst at Popper that she was embarrassed by, she
hid in the landscaping crying and said, "Just give me
some time, okay?"  But after a well-timed ice cream
cone recharge, we managed to make it a little longer.

The Jungle!

Starting to look a little sweaty, perhaps?

Chickadee thought she was hot stuff 

Every time we got to a tunnel (which was often in
the jungle), Iz and Caden would cup their hands
around their mouth and scream, "Tunnel!"

Can you tell how tired she is?  She cuddled her new giraffe on the ride back
to the hotel.  "Oh.  I'm a tired baby."  She named the giraffe "Bercy"...?

We let her sleep from 3:30 to 5:30, then got her up so she wasn't too messed up.  Grammy and the kids then put together a surprise birthday dinner for me--she's so good at coming up with fun things for them to do and letting them feel involved!

Sunday morning we had some breakfast, hit the pool, then stopped at the outlet malls before heading home.  All in all, a wonderful weekend trip!

Grammy's dream come true.  All her babies in one room with her, letting
her wait on them hand and foot.  (And in matching Frozen shirts that she
bought them awhile ago.)