Cleveland Visit

(In between laundry and school, I will try to get this post together. Feel like a post is long overdue.)

Over Labor Day weekend, we travel to Cleveland to see Mommy's family. While there, we visited the Cleveland Zoo. After visiting the zoo for field trips K5 - 6th grade yearly, working at the concessions for a summer my Junior year and extensive therapy (not really, just kidding), I am finally able to return with our kids and enjoy what the zoo had to offer.

Flat Stanley joined us. He belongs to a friend of ours, and we are helping him see places around the US for a journal.

This is as good of a family picture as we could get at the end of a long day.

It was fun to watch the ostrich being chased by the giraffe.

This seriously had to be the largest frog we have ever seen. It was an African Bullfrog named Malawi.

The butterfly exhibit was open while we were there. It was actually one of our favorite things we saw while at the zoo.

They were flying all around us. Fortunately, some of them landed for us to take some pictures.

Makenna enjoyed seeing this display of chrysalids since she had just watched some caterpillars change to butterflies this summer.

We were fascinated at how many different sizes and colors there were.

Scary tiger!

"Hi, Deer!" Isaiah loves to see the deer. At the Pittsburgh Zoo, you can walk around in an area where the deer roam.

Yesterday, there was a deer outside our back door. I think he thought we were back at the zoo. That's all he's talked about. He tells everyone he sees or talks to about the deer.

Polar bears are one of Mommy's favorite animals -- don't know why really. Isaiah was quite intrigued also. We had to say bye to them or he was upset that we abruptly left them.

The brown bear walking behind the falls.

Another favorite of ours was the flamingos. I have a video of this flamingo walking around in circles while he drank the water -- somebody must have spiked the puddle! It was hilarious!

Sunday night we visited my sister & brother-in-law for some appetizers. They live a couple blocks from a well-known ice cream stand -- Honey Hut. (Funny story: Papaw told Madison that we were going to Honey Hut. And as serious as could be Madi said, "I don't want honey on my ice cream. I just want chocolate ice cream.")

Aunt Mel, the big kid with the little kids! We have no idea who the little boy in the blue shirt is. He just rode his little tricycle up to the table and sat down.

We also looked at pictures from their 3-week honeymoon in Switzerland, Venice, Rome . . .

Papaw & Gramma enjoying their time with the grandkids.

Here's our little fruit head. He loves fruit and Papaw & Gramma always make sure there is plenty around for the grandkids when we visit.

We also had a family picnic with Papaw's side of the family. His step-brother/wife, 4 kids/spouses and 12 grandchildren were there along with my grandparents. That didn't include us: parents, 3 kids/spouses (girlfriend) and 3 grandchildren. 35 of us if I remember correctly.

It had been about 3 years since we got together last. We're hoping to make it a yearly event.

The kids enjoyed playing with their second cousins and getting reacquainted. This dog was thrilled to have so many kids to play catch with.

The kids rode in the jeep . . .

. . . played in and were pulled in a wagon and many more fun things!