We're going to the Zoo, zoo, zoo!

Hurray!


(well, not really hurray since the weekend is over...bummer!)

On Saturday we surprised the girls with a visit to the ZOO! There's just something fun and magical about seeing all those animals. Most of them were out and about on this gorgeous day (okay...a lot of them were snoozing in the sun- but can you blame them?). The polar bear was pacing back and forth across his cage- I'm sure he was trying to decide which person would make a tasty morsel (just kidding!). Anybody remember Binky at the Alaska Zoo?

The zoo also has a fun carousel and children's play area...which were frustratingly closed. Why? I have no idea. It seemed like nearly every family in the Madison area was at the zoo...why close the carousel ride? I can tell you it took a long time to cheer up some very sad girls. It's one of their favorite activities. Oh well. Next time I'm sure it'll be open. It had better be!

Watching the seals doing their underwater dance. Okay...this photo is proof that the automatic setting on even a fancy camera isn't always a good choice. Watching Mr. Rhino strut about. Daddy loves playing "Rhinoceros" with the girls. This entails him moving on hands and knees and butting into things- mostly giggly little girls who either screech with delight or run away. We were hoping to see Mr. Rhino bump into something. Sadly he did not. After our visit to the zoo how could we resist letting the girlies play in the park? Much fun was had!

"Look Ma! No hands!"

Mark and I also realized how Annika has changed- she used to be timid on the play ground but now she's climbing everything, jumping down slides and generally running all over the place.
We spent the rest of the weekend outside ...clearing lots of brush and brambles in our so-called backyard. OUCH! If I never get tangled up in one of those wild rose bushes again it'll be too soon! We had a couple of brush fires going. I also managed to singe some of my hair. Yuck. Burnt hair smells awful, did you know that? Fortunately the damage wasn't too bad. Smelled worse than it was.

I'm also trying to come up with an Easter craft project for the girlies that involves egg cartons. So far I haven't come up with anything. It's been a while since we've done a craft project. Any ideas?

I'm also in dire need of motivation and cheering on. Since January I've been exercising between four to six days a week (minimum 30 minutes). I haven't lost an ounce. I haven't lost an inch. I think I've gained weight! I'm trying to curb my eating habits although the hours between lunch and dinner are so freaking hard (I'm a snack fiend). I finally have a system where I jog three times per week in the morning (about 40 minutes) and do a strength-training + aerobic workout twice per week (55 minutes long). Somebody please tell me the weight will start melting if I keep this up! I'm not sure I'll be motivated to keep this up for too much longer if I don't see some changes. And I'm about to change into a Bunny if I keep eating all these carrots. (hop, hop, hop)