Field Trip to the Zoo

Our Classical Conversations Homeschool community organized a field trip to the Henry Doorly Zoo last week. I never tire of seeing the incredible exhibits there! And my children were in awe of them too.

 Pygmy hippo!

One of the instructors, Mrs. Miller, put together a wonderful scavenger hunt that correlated with what we have been learning over this first semester. We had to search for animals from Africa, Asia and Egypt; find an invertebrate; list things that fell into one of the following kingdoms - animalia, plantae, and fungi; and wonder about how God created all these plants and animals.

The kids thought the eye of this blue fish was very funny because it looked like a human eye with the white on the outside and a blue iris and dark pupil, but he could move his eye every direction and he never blinked like we do, so he always looked very surprised!

 I love how stingrays look like they're flying. Toby just loved being this close to the animals. He would get so excited every time one swam by them.

Notice how Rocky is looking really close at his eye.

 I think the kids could have stayed here for hours. It was so soothing to watch all these creatures glide through the water and only be inches from your face. Zelie eventually asked for my phone so she could take a few pictures herself. She has quite the knack for it:

 This may be my favorite with the stingray "flying" past the big blue fish. And the shark photo-bombing in the background.

 Zelie was pretending to ride on the back of this butterfly.

 And Rocky almost looks like he could be the butterfly with those antennae coming out of his head!

 I am incredibly blessed to have my younger sister Lydia to help me out. She never seems to tire of helping with my kids and doing whatever I ask her to. She is so good with the kids that Toby immediately goes to her whenever we see her now. She is definitely his favorite after momma.

 Max cracked me up when I took this picture because he was laying on this turtle, belly down, pretending to ride it, and I asked if I could take a picture. He said yes, then stood up and tried to find just the right pose. I would say it's a winner.

 Rocky, sweet as ever!

 Eating chips! Luckily the hungry peacocks had been chased away by this point, or there's no way Toby would have a chip in his hand!

Max must get his modeling skills from Zelie. She asked if I would take this picture of her...I think the toe on the ground says it all.

 I think Max wanted to get in on the wrestling action with this momma lion and her cubs.