Donkeys and Turtles

Yesterday we went to the zoo with our neighbors (a future post will describe what lengths I went to get a zoo pass! And no, I didn't have to sleep with anybody...). We had an incredibly rainy weekend and we were all exhibiting some serious symptoms of cabin fever, so a trip to the zoo was in order.

The kid crew

First stop, donkeys. Ella and Sophia astride their noble beasts, Steve and Robert

Janet, upon her trusty mount

And Madeline aboard her faithful donkey

We found this awesome turtle up by the ostrich pens. While the passing by Ugandans wanted to squish it (??) I wanted to steal it. I was seriously thinking of how I would either slip it into my bag or under my shirt (NO ONE would EVER look for a turtle there!) but the four little pairs of eyes and an adult pair of eyes looking at me, stopped me. Little kids have a way of doing that to you. "We look up to you and you are going to steal that turtle? It's okay to steal then?" Ella actually doesn't make me feel too guilty because she wouldn't quite understand that what I was doing was wrong (nor would she think that Mom walking around with a turtle under her shirt was strange), but the other little kids would have, not to mention Melinda! So I glared at the kids and said firmly, "It is WRONG to steal" as if it actually flit through their honest little heads to steal it. Seriously, accountability is a good thing!

Sophia and the turtle

Madeline and the turtle

Janet and the turtle

And of course, Ella and the turtle because everyone else held it so she had to! She pretty much just held it long enough to get her picture taken.

Old L's in an awkward position with our neighbors. She's the youngest of them all but still wants to be in charge and bossy. Sometimes it works and sometimes it just doesn't! It's been so great having such a nice family next door and nice kids for her to play with. The more she plays with them the less she demands of me!!