Independence Day Trip to the Zoo

Liam had his first trip to the zoo on the 4th of July. We went early in the morning, to beat the heat as well as the crowds, and met our friends the Lytles - John, Melissa and Julianna - at the front gate. Our first stop was to see the flamingos - Julianna's favorite. Then the elephants. Note the puzzled expression on Liam's face in photo #3..."Why are the elephants covered in red clay dust?" Good question. Thank goodness for the air conditioned "treehouse" in the monkey exhibit. The kids had snacktime, and then we saw the pandas. Liam and Julianna were troopers - we got to see the whole zoo, and they even had energy left for the grand finale - the petting zoo.