"Mom, why does it always smell like this at the Zoo?"

One of the first times I ever went to the zoo as a mom was when I was pregnant with Annie. I only had a few weeks left to my due date and Adam took the day off work so we could have a special day as a little family of 3 before the new baby was born. We drove out to the Santa Barbara and went to the adorable little zoo there. It is right next to the ocean and has all the animals you want to see. Gorillas, Lions, Giraffes, Elephants, etc. I call it the Zoo of the misfits because one of the Giraffes (who recently passed away I'm told) has a crooked neck. It also has a HUGE Gorgeous Bald Eagle with one wing because the other wing was blown off by a poacher hunting illegally. Anyway, that day at the zoo with Spencer was a very memorable day for me. Watching him watch the animals, the warm weather, the beautiful location, the time together with "my boys". Remembering that day always brings a smile to my face!

Since that day I have loved going to the zoo with my kids. When we were in California we spent many a day at the Los Angeles zoo where we have many memories of watching the huge Gorilla. One day, while we were there with my sisters, their kids and mom, one of the Gorillas threw a huge chunk of dirt at us. It hit Annie and I most direct and though it caught all of us off guard we laughed and laughed. When we moved to Denver we bought a Family Membership to the zoo here and have renewed every year. Going just twice pays for the pass so I figure, why not? A few years ago while at the zoo here we were telling our friends who were with us about the crazy Gorilla in LA that threw dirt at us. While watching the Denver Zoo Gorillas that afternoon they were putting on quite a show for all the spectators, swinging from the ropes, eating eachothers poop, etc. After a few minutes I noticed a large sign on the wall with pictures and names of all the gorillas and an explanation of where they all came from. Coincidentally, the Gorilla that was entertaining us at that moment was the exact same one who threw dirt at us in LA. He and his girls, had been sent to Denver while they LA habitat was being renovated. It was such a coincidence and every time we go the kids want to see if "Jim" is still here. He is as it seems LA found some new Gorillas for their new habitat!

Anyway, all this crazy talk about Gorillas and zoos, "for what?" you are probably asking yourself. Well, not really for anything except that today I took my kids to the zoo with my mom. It was such a relaxed and fun day that all these memories of how much I love taking my kids to the zoo came to mind! The kids were soooo good and loved every part of the day (except right before lunch when they got cranky due to hunger :-) Logan kept asking when we could see the Elephants because they are his favorite! Spencer's favorite is the Cheetah, Garett's are the Zebras, Giraffes and Elephants and Annie's favorite animal is the Gorilla! Making sure to spend adequate time at each persons favorite we were able to make the rounds, please everyone and have a great time in the process!

Though going to the zoo with my kids seems like such a small, trivial part of being a mom, it is one of those things that I simply love to do! From the stinky smells to the must have swirl ice cream cones, to the excitement we feel when a sleeping animal rolls to a different side while we are standing there watching, to spending time with my kids and answering their innocent questions about life, (Garett's question while walking up to the front entrance was "Mom, why does it always smell like this at the zoo?") It's just one of life's simple pleasures for me!