Stay Late 'til 8

Tonight, Matt and I took the kids to the Stay Late 'til 8 event at the Hogle Zoo. Matt doesn't usually get to come to activities with us...so having daddy around was a special treat! We started the night with a snack, then headed off to enjoy the zoo.

Elizabeth let us know that she was going to be our "guide" and intently studied the map so that we would know where we needed to go!

The Zoorassic Park exhibit was ending soon, so we wanted to get one last look at each of the dinosaurs before they were gone.

Zachary just loves the zoo. He sits in his stroller, looking from side-to-side with wide-eyes and a smile. I love experiencing the zoo through his eyes.

The animals are always so active at night. I love the Stay Late 'til 8 events. It's like a whole new zoo! All of our favorites were out. It was such a fun night!

One experience that we had, that we haven't had before, was with the elephants. They were in another area playing together and splashing in the water. We even got to see one of the elephants pee...and that was quite the site. We were a little worried when baby Zuri got high-centered on a tree but with a little work, she was able to get herself free.

I had so much fun walking around with my little family. I love spending time together, enjoying the fresh air. I cannot believe how fast my little munchkins are growing. Elizabeth was as small as the "infant" gorilla during her first visit to the zoo. She has grown so much. I am so glad that I can make these fun memories with my family!

 

Since it was still hot outside, the zoo had some "misters" going throughout the zoo. As you walked down certain paths, you would feel a cold mist...it was so nice. Zachary absolutely loved it and would grunt and point towards the sky when he wanted more. After one of the trips through the "misters", Matt decided to give Zachary a new hair style. What do you think?

Matt captured this amazing photograph while we were on our way to see the tigers. Matt has such a great eye and he is a wonderful photographer. I wish I had 1/10 his talent!

Every time we come to a Stay Late 'til 8 event, we have had the best time watching the tigers play...and this time they did not disappoint. They were pouncing on each other, wrestling, splashing, and swimming. They are always so active at night. It really is a treat to be able to stay later so we can enjoy these amazing animals.