5/22/2007

Fun with the fam

This morning we set off with excited intentions of visiting the Detroit Zoo with Grandpa and Grandma. It was a perfect morning, sunny and creeping up into the 70's when we left. We all piled into our new mini-van (Yes a new-ish mini-van anyway! That's a blog post for another day but if I don't ever get around to writing it, let's just say it has increased the quality of our lives a thousand fold. I can now open and close each and every door of my vehicle without consulting the ghost of Houdini. I can start the car without startling all of my neighbors out of a deep sleep. The rear hatch stays up on it's own and doesn't threaten to smash my head in every time I try to load a stroller in the back. We are able to talk to each other while traveling without raising our voices over the jet roar of the engine and we can LISTEN to MUSIC! The power locks and windows work and most importantly the air conditioning works! Hurray! No more arriving sweaty and red-faced everywhere I go all summer. Who knew life could be this good?) and made the short drive to the zoo.

My heart began to sink as we pulled into the entrance and saw that half of the schoolchildren of Detroit had picked this very day as field-trip-to-the-zoo day. I have never seen the lines there so long. We decided to brave it, thinking maybe we could get around the school groups and find another way in. Nope. So we all agreed to turn around and avoid the hordes. I'm glad we did although it would have been a fun memory for Ethan. Instead, we stopped at a park on the way home and the kids had fun monkeying around there.

Grandma brought some cookies and a great variety of decorations to occupy Ethan and he had a great time with her creating the perfect cookie design.












Grandpa and Grandma each patiently took turns playing a memory game with Ethan. He's been talking about and planning this for days.

6 comments:

Claire said...

Awwwwwww....

the Joneses said...

Good news about the minivan. I can remember when we got rid of an old one (that had been given to us) that had a failing transmission, and what a relief it was to just expect the van to start going when we shifted into Drive.

--DJ

Anonymous said...

Hurray for a new car! I still remember the delightful amazement of a four-door after a year and a half of getting Michael and his carseat in and out of the back of Shawn's sporty 2-door.

And way to exercise such flexibility by opting not to go to the zoo. There will be other days for that, which won't have to involve such an agonizing wait...

Lori said...

Yay for new cars! And, I tag you--see my blog for details!

drewey fern said...

I love the length of your parenthetical comment:) It made me happy. And yay for kind grandparents, and a grandson who's been planning for days!

Anonymous said...

I can't believe all this time I haven't known about all of your other photos :( I have SO been missing out! I have to get "on the ball." I loved the ones from yesterday "at the zoo" and todays picnic. I liked Paige's hyperextended leg shot :)