Trip to the Zoo

We dreamed big today and tried a big outing with all the kids. I couldn't have done it without Mitchell and Derek was a huge help too! He pushed the umbrella stroller and Bryce and Conner switched out riding in that while the girls rode in the double. We remembered to feed the giraffes today and had a blast running around, sweating buckets and seeing as many animals as we could. The kids loved playing on the elephant family statues and seeing the lions (half-hidden in the grass). After months of membership and no tram to ride, the tram finally reopened and Mitchell and I insisted on a ride. Who could resist a half-hour of sitting down and seeing animals? It was well-worth it and, at $3 per person per ride (without membership), the membership has paid for itself twice over in the few times we've come this year. We also saw the construction for the new hippo exhibit that opens in the spring. I can't wait!! It even has a hippo feeding station! Hopefully our next family outing goes just as smoothly.

 The whole crew at the Zoo!

 Kamryn and Clara chilling while the guys have a quick pit stop

Clara made a penguin friend!

 Connor was photo-bombed by the same penguin

 Derek is such a ham, haha

 The boys piled on the "mommy" elephant...oh, the irony, haha!

 The girls rode on the babies

 Brother and Sister

 One of the new elephants recently rescued from Africa

 Clara was very brave to feed the giant giraffe

 Connor desperately wanted to pet the giraffe while Derek snuck him some lettuce

 The zoo has lots of giraffes

 Bryce's favorite part of the zoo - the cheetahs!

 All piled into the safari jeep

 Let sleeping gorilla's lie

 A passerby stopped while I was taking this photo to snap his own. I guess we were a zoo attraction today, too

 Derek made friends with a chimp and her baby

 Bryce got a little friendlier, haha

 Kamryn was cranky during the tram ride but Derek and I were excited to see something new

 Mitchell sat with the rest of the kids on the other side of our train car. Eventually he took Kamryn, too, but she cried the whole time. Turns out she just wanted to sit on my lap. Love my stoic man for stubbornly giving me a break, even though the kids revolted, haha!

 The hippo statue and watercolor drawing advertising the upcoming hippo exhibit

 It's an exhibit for construction vehicles right now. The kids loved it!

 Pretty white pelicans

 Had to take a picture with the "Daddy" elephant for National Elephant Day!

 Derek picked this eagle to ride on the traditional carousel ride before we go home

 Bryce hopped straight on the cheetah, though the Triceratops was a close second

 Connor was excited to ride but Kamryn chose to hang with Mitchell on the bench

A long, hot day ended with a nice, quiet car ride home. Thank heaven for the DVD player! ;)

Cow Roundup

 So it begins. The land behind the house has been sold and will be developed into a neighborhood. Tammy was very vocal and very involved in the design of that neighborhood in order to preserve the quality of (and mitigate negative effects on) the Deer Run neighborhood where we live. Development should start this fall so we're enjoying the view and the cows while we can. This morning, two cowboys arrived to round up the cattle - I guess they've been sold. I was so glad I happened to glance outside at just the right moment! The boys and I went outside to watch and sat quietly by the bars so the cowboys could herd the cows right by us without spooking them off. The boys have been begging to go to a rodeo all day now, haha!

Getting a feel for the herd

 Making a run for it

  Cows every which way

Get along, little doggie! 

 Guiding the herd

 Aaaaand back to the corner

 Make me, buster

 Finally got them into the funnel

 Following through to get the cattle in the back pen so they can load them into the trailer pictured in the background

 They're a little bewildered

One lone donkey was left. Nobody wanted her. :(

Cousin Pictures!!

 Presenting the last complete cousin picture for the next three years....

 We finally had to move the oldest two cousins to stand behind the couch!

 Isaac (6), Derek (6), Logan (5), Andrew (5), Preston (4), Emeri (3), Bryce (3), Savanna (3), Clara (2), Sierra (2), Oakley (2 weeks shy of 2) and Asher (16 months)!

The reward for compliance? MARSHMALLOWS!! :D

Crazy Sick

These poor kids! Derek woke up this morning with a roaring fever. Any medication given wore off a couple hours before I could give the next dose and even a tepid bath had no effect. Bryce's fever started around noon and when Clara started warming up at four, I called the pediatrician. Our thermometer was broken, but their poor ears were bright red and their little bodies were furnaces on overdrive. Sure enough, Derek was running a 104 temp (with a crazy high heart rate at 153 bpm), Bryce had 102 and Clara was sitting on 101. The after-hours physician's assistant we were referred to was a joke and started grasping at straws like a contagious ear infection instead of admitting he had no definitive idea. The only effective advice he gave me was to alternate Tylenol and Ibuprophen every three hours which finally brought the fever down to a manageable level. I'm so grateful to Mitchell and Jon for giving each of the kids a priesthood blessing. I know through their faith and the power of the priesthood, the kids were helped to speed their healing and finally rest comfortably. 

 Poor Derek. He feels horrible. :(

 The nurse was so kind to give Clara a pair of gloves to play with.

 Derek was apathetically entertained watching Clara try to fit her tiny hand into a large glove

 Poor Bryce. He's starting down the same symptom path.

Movies and the promise of slushies helped the boys get through all two hours of the doctor's office

Park, Pizza, P...uh... Movie

Today was a full day! We played at the splash pad and the park and then drove to Austin and Liz's house for pizza and a movie. The kids have been looking forward to seeing Zootopia and tonight is the night! It's so much fun having all the cousins together and they had a great time taking up the ENTIRE couch. All the adults ended up sprawled on the floor or corners of the giant love sac.

Constant motion

Bryce and Emeri off on a whirlwind adventure

Levitation!

Derek really loves these water jets

Running, running, running

Derek's favorite things - moving his body and playing in water

Clara and Sierra were a little less enthusiastic about getting wet

Preston found an itty bitty toad

See?

Isaac, Preston and Logan were fascinated with that toad and took turns holding it

Logan was actually happy to hold the toad

Love these sisters of mine! :D

Derek and Andrew apparently weigh as much as Bryce and Preston

Sweet Savvy!

Sweet Sierra!

Windblown

Later in the day, Clara fell asleep in the car and Derek was struck by a tender, big brotherly kindness to hold her hand and be so very sweet and gentle with her

 Caught him stroking and kissing her little fingers

...and then she shifted in her sleep and the funny-boy face was priceless

Movie Time! That couch is getting full!