Do the Zoo!

Tuesday brought the chance for us to visit the Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines with a couple of friends of ours, Dora and Nash.  Nash used to spend three days a week with us while his mama taught high schoolers the ins and outs of the art world.  Due to Caleb starting school, Nash will have new friends to spend the days with.  But that shouldn't stop playdates!  We had a great time, seeing the animals and fellowshipping the duration of the trip.

I wish I had lots and lots of pictures to share, but unfortunately for me (and perhaps fortunately for you), my batteries conked out on me.  But here are the few I DID get:



The dinosaur exhibit is the special attraction at the zoo this summer.  All three youngsters like their dinosaurs, thanks (in part) to Buddy, Tiny, Shiny and Don and their dinosaur friends.  The zoo has eight to twelve life-like dinosaurs on display.  The one you see here is the brontosaurus.




They also had a display with a microscope for us to check out.  I didn't look through it, but according to Caleb there was a dinosaur egg model on the other side of the microscope.



Nash doing an excellent "if I don't look at the T-Rex, he doesn't really exist" pose for the camera.  I don't blame him... those were some scary lookin' teeth and growls coming from the beast.  But it was pretty cute.  No matter what direction his mother turned, Nash made sure to not make eye contact with the dinosaur!

There is also a robotic dinosaur that can be controlled by whoever's at the control panel.  Depending on which button is pushed, the dinosaur moved different directions.

Caleb the styrocosaurus.  (And no, this is not a triceratops...its has more than three horns!)



Nash posing as a dino.




Three of the best junior paleontologists this side of the Mississippi.




We had good views of the big cats.  This lion was sunning himself on the rock.




The tiger kept pacing back and forth.  It was the perfect weather for a zoo trip.  Since the weather has cooled off quite a bit, the animals were pretty active.

And that's where the batteries died.  Note to self: next time, check the batteries!!