Columbus Zoo

We went to the zoo today. I was super excited to add a new zoo to our list and I was not disappointed it was amazing!  So beautiful!

It was cold and so not crowded. The children started out cold and hungry and got hungrier as we went.

Abba and Ethan and Hannah

I had some great shots of them standing on a sign punching one another. One of Ethan pushing Grace off a mushroom, and Hannah mad about something. But I chose different ones to post.

Finally we ate and they cheered a bit, but they were still cold and tired.

The exhibits were top notch. Not everything was open but we had lots to looks at. We saw some giant bears snoring away:) A polar bear, some cute attic foxes, Pumas, elephants, red pandas, Tigers, Sharks, penguins, manatees and reindeer and moose.

It was zoo lights season and the lights were gorgeous! They were all over and they had a synchronized to music show.

After the herpitarium we lost Hannah. We searched for about 15 minutes then enlisted the help of the police in finding her. They did. I guess they said normally we have to find tiny kids not teenagers.

Despite some whining and fighting and search and rescue efforts it was a very fun day. I loved the zoo and I love this family of mine.

over the river and through the woods

Tomorrow it's supposed to snow in Maryland, so we decided to skip school for one day and drive to Ohio early.  I am really glad we did.  The drive went smoothly, the children were good, we didn't stop a lot.  We did run into traffic twice but over all I'd say it was a lovely drive.

Just as we were nearing Nana's house, like literally less than 10 minutes away we had an incident.  Ethan hit Grace, or some variation on that theme.  Not sure exactly what.  There was some crying and some it was her faulting.  Then Hannah, ever the peacemaker, said Grace, don't worry now you are entitiled to hit him back. It's an eye for an eye, that's in the Bible.

That's true but then Christ came and gave us a new law.  Children??

Turn the other cheek, forgive and be kind.

I like the other one better.

I like the code of Hammurabi better "if a man takes your sheep you must give him all your sweaters"

then there was laughing.

Something green I am grateful for

I am grateful for $.  I hope not in a idolatrous way but the fact of life is you need it and I am grateful we have enough.  We have a nice home, drive  nice cars, feed our children and dress them, we can take trips and go out to eat and buy new shoes when we need them. 

I am grateful that Rob works hard for our family and that we can tithe and sometimes help others. I look forward to serving multiple missions with my eternal companion and $ will be necessary for that. I am grateful for the good things that  money allows us to do.

Busy day

Tonight the Marshes had their pie night. They invited so many friends and neighbors. It was tons of fun! I love to get out and visit. They are moving to Utah next week and I will miss sweet Monique and her wonderful family.

We made two pies to take. Christianna's peanut butter pie was the grand prize winner and it was delicious!

I finished buying and wrapping our Ohio/ New York Christmas presents.  We are ready to take them with us and deliver them in person. 

Did some laundry and some dishes and some vacuuming and dyed my hair and skyped the girls and read a few chapters of Alma and walked the dogs and drove the kids here and there and then there and there and there, went to the store for gerbil food and dog food, made some dinner and cleaned the car.

It was a good, productive, pleasant day.

Every morning we wait at the bus stop. There is a narrow strip of grass and two trees in front of the building. It didn't take many days before an elaborate game, with rules that all the children appear to understand, evolved. They run back-and-forth shrieking and laughing. It is one of Grace's favorite times of the day.

A part of nature I am grateful for

I have always loved the beach. I'm actually a little surprised because I remember very clearly the first time we went to the beach as a family. We went with our friends the Anderson's and that night we were taking a walk, it was dark outside and we children were skipping along the edge of the water, suddenly a wave came up and knocked us under. At least it knocked me under I think some others went under is well. I remember tumbling under the cold water in my clothes and smashing into sand and feeling very scared. Brother Anderson grabbed me up out of the water and saved me. With this traumatic first experience you would think I wouldn't like the beach so much. You with the wrong. I've always loved it to go there and sit in the warm sand and play in the water, to look at the sky and enjoy the majesty. It's so vast and so powerful. I love the colors of the water to calling it blue almost doesn't do it justice as it has so many shades and dance and sparkles and sometimes dark swirly  turbulence, it has its own life.

Anna  is in Hawaii right now and sent this darling picture of Joneaux and Deo enjoying the water.

Oh my stinkin cuteness!!!