No trip to Nebraska is complete without a trip to the zoo! The day after the funeral, we decided to take the kids there. A much needed break from the heavy emotions and having to sit still and quiet so much.
So with my swollen face and puffy eyes from all the crying the days before, we headed out.
Lillie literally did nothing but cry the entire first 2.5 hours there. We caught up with some of my family and my hilarious older sister said, "Geez, why don't you take her to the zoo or something!" ha ha ha. I know right?! Poor girl was soooo tired. We decided to leave for lunch and she was asleep before we even left the parking lot. Upon returning she cried more. Out of the like 6 hours there, she was happy for the last 2 hours. So, when you see her sad face, or a red face with a smile, you know why :)
Cherry and Damon were beyond excited. They were so little the last time we went they didn't remember it. And seeing their faces and getting to witness their excitement was pure joy for me.
Little Braddock had a blast hanging out and getting pulled in the wagon everywhere.
I took tons of pictures, but none in the awesome dark swamp. And the Aquarium was closed. I was so bummed! They are doing a 10 MILLION dollar remodel and it opened a week after we left. Someday....
So here is WAY too many pictures of some of the fun, adorable, amazing, and creepy things we saw. (and if you see pictures that just aren't up to par with my usual, it's because they are from my phone) :) Enjoy!
Isn't the black bird amazing? Looks so prehistoric!
naughty grandpa letting Damon pet the rays! Ok, they were not barricaded off so I am sure it was fine. And Damon still has not quit talking about it.
(see, swollen face, puffy eyes and can't even smile! I look awful but it's with all my kiddies.)
This is about the time this began...
He looks ferocious yawning. Then he scratched his pits and smelled them and then just layed there like Joe Cool.
Uncle Justing had some fun with Braddock :) And Braddock now loves sunglasses. Especially for Peek-A-Boo!
Poor Kids...
Don't they look thrilled? It was a LOT of walking. ha ha haa
My favorite part, inside the insect side of the butterfly pavilion, there was a forest with some free flying birds. And this adorable little female, I can't remember the species, was hopping around following me and the kids. So I crouched down and she came right on over! And she LOVED having her head scratched.
And this is how it went by the end. Braddock just wanted to be free to crawl! Lillie was FINALLY happy, and the other two of course were content.
