A day at the Zoo

With our tax return this year, I decided to get a couple of memberships to some family fun places in town. Of course, the zoo had to be one of them. We tried our new membership out yesterday and the kids were out of control with happiness. We spent three hours at the zoo and didn't even see it all. We're going back in a couple of weeks (during spring break) to see the rest. Sad that two visits to the zoo (with our whole family) pays for the yearly membership! I bought a double stroller the day before we went but Zoey and Kaia were so excited to be there they didn't even sit in it until the end when they were exhausted. It was a great day!!


(My four girls.....they are so dang cute! I think the elephants were one of the family favorites to watch! )


















(My son.....what a great boy! Jaed is doing a report about elephants for a Boy Scout badge.)
























(what a bunch of handsome guys......even the elephant!)


















(Jaed really like the penguins too. They were fun to watch!)
























(The bears were out and about and the girls saying, "WOW, look how big they are!)























(Us girls LOVED the flamingos. They were gorgeous!)














































(Here's Kaia and Zoey are in the stroller relaxing from a long day at the zoo! Josie was taking a turn pushing them around.)























(The zoo has a huge Carousel and of course we couldn't pass it up.)








































































We had a lot of fun together and everyone arrive and left with smiles!!

Face Painter

We decided to hire a professional face painter for Josie's party and were please with how it turned out. The theme for the party was butterflies so the face painter painted butterflies on everyone's face. The girls LOVED it and told Josie that it was the best Birthday Party they had ever been to. Whether it was true or not, Josie was thrilled. Here's some pics of the party:

(The face painter was very good with the girls and made each face different.)



















(Here's the Birthday girl. I don't think she came off cloud 9 the whole day!)
























(Here's Josie and three of the six girls she invited from school. She didn't seem upset that the other three couldn't come.....thank goodness!)


















(With her two her sisters invited to the party as well, it was a full house!)


















(Here's Indi with her beautiful butterfly face!)
























(Kaia did a lot of flapping of her arms after her face was painted. I think she really felt like a butterfly!)

Josie TURNED 8

Well Josie's Birthday finally made her and passed. By the time her birthday came I thought I would scream if I heard another word about it. She was so stinkin excited and made sure we all knew what a great day it was. We celebrated it as a family on her special day and then she had a party for a few friends. By the end of the two parties she was singing..."THIS IS MY BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!". So I felt pretty successful and relieved that her expectations were met and exceeded.

One of the great things about having siblings is that you are pretty much guaranteed at least as many presents as you have siblings. They are all so excited to give the presents to the birthday girl (or boy) that it makes it fun for everyone.

Here's some pics from her special day:

(Here's Jaed and Josie. Jaed's not really in to hugging his sisters but when it's their birthday he lets down his guard a bit.)


















(Here's Indi and Josie....they are such sweet sisters......most of the time.)


















(Little Kaia was more excited to play with Josie's new toys then Josie was, I think.)


















(Little Zoey didn't want to hand over the toy she got Josie. She thought the toy was hers for sure!)




















(Here's the best present of all! Josie asked for this doll house for Christmas but we didn't get it for her then so we decided to surprise her with it on her birthday!)


















HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOSIE!!!