As if there was any question about the kids liking it or not, before we were even in the zoo, Alden saw a picture of a puffin and starts jumping up and down and pointing, "Mommy, Mommy, that's a puffin like in my book, Along the Rocky Shore!"
We started in the North America side...saw the otters
The sleepy polar bear
The bald eagle
Amber and Hudson explored the polar bear cave
There was a kids' area where the kids tried on tails. Hudson really liked his. Alden was being a veterinarian to the stuffed zebra and giraffe.
They have a really fun playground area that we stopped at briefly, but it was pretty busy with elementary school field trip groups. Alden rode the wild praying mantis.
Hudson did the leaf slide.
Alden saw a giant cargo-net-spider-web that she was dying to go on, and reminded us of that about every 2 minutes after we left the play area. We saw the bison, alligators, and the mountain lions, one of which was sleeping right by the glass. There are only a couple things that I am really scared of, and in the top three are lightning and mountain lions. This one did look really cute and cuddly, and not much bigger than Lily...I guess until it was sneaking up behind you and pouncing you.
I don't really know what to say about this turtle except that at first we thought he was fake. I didn't even know turtles could DO that with their legs. He must do yoga.
I don't know what to say about this one either. Let's give them the benefit of the doubt and suppose that they are doing a snake impression?
Hudson's best friend is now Mr. Reg. Reg even trumped Bebe a couple times during the day, which is completely unheard of. 
After North America, we had a picnic under the trees in the parking area, let the kids refuel and run around some more, and headed back to the Africa side. 
It was definitely HOT by that point, and I wasn't sure how the kids would do, but they persevered. Maybe it was the giant bags of cotton candy that they ate...10 minutes after Alden was "so full" and could not possibly eat the rest of her sandwich.
Don't get the wrong idea. He's not offering to share it with you. Just try to take some of the cotton candy out of his bag.
We saw the giraffes...
And the elephants.
They weren't really that big...as Matt so kindly demonstrates.
And we were starting to melt down a little bit here...but, you can't pass up a photo op on the little bronze elephant baby.
Bebe and Pop pop check out the ostriches.
And, I have to include this picture of some old helicopter. This was one of Matt's favorite parts, and darn those elementary school kids who were climbing all over it and not letting him have a turn in the cockpit.
Sitting in the ostrich egg.
We must have watched the baboons for 10 minutes. There is a lot of drama going on with them.
"Hello, little girl...this is what it looks like to have nursed lots of baby baboons."
Finally, we made it to the final destination. The carousel. I think they each rode three times. It is a really cool carousel, with all kinds of animals.
"Hi, Bebe and Pop pop!"
And we took in the Dora and Diego 4D adventure a couple times. I wasn't sure what Hudson would think but he just kicked back with his glasses on and loved it.
After that, we stood in line for the bus/tram to take us back to the entrance. Alden HAD to ride the tram (she thought it was a train), so Bebe and I waited an extra few minutes with her, while everyone else piled on the shuttle bus. It was her birthday, after all. The kids crashed in the car before we were out of the parking lot and slept almost all the way home. Matt had to work that night, and boy, was he lucky he did. I think at one point, both kids were crying for about 30 minutes straight. AHHHH! But, I know they were exhausted. We paid for it on Saturday, too, with a lot more whining and crying. Still, it was worth it. It did make me think that we need a few more years under our belt if we are going to try Disney. One day at the zoo was plenty.
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