I think whoever coined the phrase "Getting there is half the adventure" probably had my family in mind. Going anywhere is usually a production....I have come to accept this. There is the lengthy preparation before we leave the house (showers, potty, clothes, breakfast, packing of ALL the crap we need, etc...). Then, once in the car, there are at least 2 return trips to the house for items we forgot to grab. Finally when the entire house is packed into the car, we pull off....and the bickering between the girls starts. Then they want snacks, water, different movies to watch on their dvd player. They drop a book or toy in the back seat & can NOT live without it, so I find myself contorted in my seat trying to retrieve something that I can't reach. So by the time we arrived at the zoo, we'd already spent an hour in the car to Vienna, 40 minutes on the Orange train to Metro Center, and 15 minutes on the Red train ......and I felt like I'd accomplished a feat just getting there! Hannah LOVED the train rides, but Sadie was a bit scared. She sat completely still in her stroller, like she was afraid that if she moved she'd fall off the train car.
Once in the zoo, we bought Hannah a map so she could be our guide (a task she took very seriously). She made a short list of the most important animals to see: Giant Panda, Turtles, & the Petting Zoo.
We were able to see a handful of animals, but most were sleeping inside because it was the middle of the day. We walked all the way to the back end of the zoo, only to discover that the petting area was closed. However, there was a lone cow who stood against the fence so the kids could rub her. ....The cleanest and luckiest cow in the world.
The girls also enjoyed playing in the "rain"....these little mist sprinklers that were meant to cool you off, not soak you. Still, my girls were drenched when we left the zoo. They had a blast!! Chad and I made it home, put the girls to bed and rented a movie....but we both passed out before the previews were over :)
