{Field Trip} Dickerson Park Zoo

Katelyn's preschool class took a field trip to the Dickerson Park Zoo in Springfield today. She rode the bus and Will and I drove separately. I didn't think Will would make the 80 minute ride sitting on my lap and I didn't want to chance it.

We ate a picnic lunch before we went into the zoo. The grass was wet from rain so we had to eat on the bus. Not the most ideal but we managed.

We were promptly greeted by several peacocks and boy were they noisy!

Katy and Katelyn skipping to the next thing.

Katy, Peter, Liam and Katelyn

Ms. Heather asked them to show her their best animal noise. I think Katelyn roared. Not too sure though.

And then we got to do what Katelyn was the most excited to do! She asked the second we walked into the zoo if we could feed the giraffes.

Loving it!

Look at that tongue!!

These were the most rambunctious giraffes I'd ever seen - even compared to all the other zoos where you can feed the giraffes. They had it figured out how to stick their head as far as they could through the fence. She had a blast feeding them and of course wanted to get more crackers.

Best friends

Kathleen and Katelyn

And then it was time to ride the train that took us around the little pond 2 times. Kind of a disappointment. Front Row L-R: Kathleen, Rileigh, Katey, Katelyn. Back Row L-R: Peter's Mom Maddie, Lee, Peter

And it was a fun day at the zoo that ended just in time for the rain to move in. Katelyn rode home with Will and I instead of the bus. The zoo was just the right size. We could do the whole zoo in 3ish hours and feel like we saw it all!

Labor Day Weekend - Columbia, SC

Over the long weekend, we went visited some friends that are stationed at Ft. Gordon, GA (about 2.5 hours from here). They have 2 girls (4 and 2) so it's always fun for Katelyn. And they have MORE than enough toys for everyone!! Katelyn was very excited to see Makara and Kinley and is still talking about them. We spent Friday night at their house and then headed to Columbia, SC on Saturday morning. It's only an hour drive from their house.

Saturday we went to the Riverbanks Zoo and Sunday we hit up the Edventure Children's Museum before heading home. Everyone had a great weekend as we always do with them, but we were ready to be back home in our own beds!

Katelyn was infatuated with the giraffes and kept asking to go back and see them the entire time we were at the zoo! When we got to the giraffe exhibit, they were all out of food, so the girls couldn't feed them. :(

A baby giraffe getting a bottle from the zookeeper

Makara, Kinley and Katelyn sitting on the gorilla

Awww!!!

front view! Look at all the cute little girls!

She loved the aquariums and looking for Nemo

At Edventure Children's Museum
The firetruck was her favorite and it took many attempts to pry her away from it to move on to other things. And then she kept asking to go back!

Driving a "bug"

And she even slid down the pole!

The butterfly garden.
She was pretty excited finding all the butterflies.

Maybe she'll get a little brother so he can have a peddle tractor! haha

Driving the right color of tractor!

Milking Bess!
She squeezed enough to get the "water" to come out

Grocery shopping

checking out!

This boy was over 2 stories tall and on the back side you can climb inside him and "explore" his organs. Katelyn liked the slide the best. The slide is actually the digestive tract. She got "spit" out many times because she thought the slide was pretty fun!