The Tangrens

At the zoo we met Derek’s new manager and really good friend who had just had their fourth baby boy. He had his three older boys with him. I couldn’t help singing “Meet me in St Louis, Louis, Meet me at the zoo!” in my head all day.

The St Louis zoo has no charge to get in but there were a few experiences  (the children’s area, the rays at Caribbean Cove and on the train that goes around the zoo) that cost a few bucks to do but the first hour they were free, one more reason to be there early. Michael, Derek’s friend and coworker has a membership to the zoo and was kind enough to get us into the rest of the areas we didn't get to in that first hour. We parked on the street ( you could pay for closer parking but we opted not to) and made our way into the zoo
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Our first stop was the Emerson’s Children’s zoo.  It was so fun!  Not only were there tons of animals but there were fun ways to look at them too. 

This was the Meerkat hole you climbed in to look at the meerkats

And a log where spiders were

All of the enclosures seemed to get the kids as close as they could get to the animals

There was also a petting zoo but my boys wanted nothing to do with the extraordinarily calm goats.

They were much more interested in sitting on frogs

Then we were off to see the stingrays in Caribbean Cove. As we waited in line they told us to wash our arms up to the elbow because lotion, sunscreen, bug spray etc can harm the stingrays. I was a little nervous that the boys wouldn’t even put their hands in the water much less touch the stingrays. But I was pleasantly surprised that they did both and really seemed to like it.

They had a “nursery” where they had baby stingrays. They were adorable.

We decided to bring the stroller into the zoo figuring that at least one of the boys would want to ride from time to time. They did but when Hyrum didn’t want to ride Noah wanted to push. This was all fine and good but Noah is NOT a very good driver and he was constantly running into people. Finally I’d had enough and took the stroller away. Noah.threw.a.FIT! I didn’t want to reward his fit with getting the stroller back but he created such a scene that eventually Derek’s manager was asking Derek if he was alright and I could tell it was making him uncomfortable. So I gave Noah a second chance and let him drive the stroller again.

He was MUCH happier, and luckily for him, much more careful.

Then we were off to the newest attraction, Sea Lion Sound in which you go in a plexiglass tunnel that goes under the water of the sea lion enclosure.

Seriously soo cool. Sea lions would swim directly overhead and past the glass on either side.

Hyrum and Noah became fast friends with Michael’s boys Thomas, Matthew and Joseph.

Hyrum and Matthew in particular were inseparable.

After the sea lions we went to see the big cats but were side tracked by the reptile house and we were so glad we did.

This is an animal enclosure, if you can believe it. So cool!

They had typical enclosures as well.

But do you see how close even the smallest visitors can get to the animals? So great.

Then we got on the train, again courtesy of our host. Noah didn’t even know how excited he would be for weeks after about this ride.

Even Elijah who had slept through the rest of the zoo woke up for the train.

We went through tunnels

And peeked behind waterfalls

And waved to everyone, as we made our circle tour.

We finished off the zoo with the puffins and penguins. Or as Hyrum called it ‘Penguin Island’

The best thing about the penguin house is that it was inside and cold. Sweat had been dripping down my face like tears.

It was crazy how close they were!

Did anyone else not know that puffins could “fly” under water?  Puffins were a favorite animal of mine as a kid and you’d think I’d have known that but I guess you learn something new every day. I was fascinated by it!

We left the zoo, but not without tossing a coin or two. Hyrum and Thomas shared the coin they tossed.

We decided to all go out to eat for lunch at Steak and Shake before we parted ways. We were grateful for the reason to NOT go to McDonalds again.

The woman taking us to our seats asked the names of our boys and when she heard them picked up immediately on them all being biblical names.  She said our next one should be Isaiah. J

Strangely it was only at the restaurant that I noticed that I was the only woman in the group. I’m so used to being in the boys club. As we waited for our food to come the waiter brought us out paper cars and paper hats which the boys completely appreciated. 

Don't let Hyrum's face fool you. He LOVED his blue paper car with it's hamburger driver!

Who needs Happy meal toys?

We were sure to put Elijah in his “Trust me I’m a Jedi” shirt that Michael sent to us when he was born. He was happy to show it off.

After our meal the hostess who was so impressed with the names of our boys asked who the minister was in the group. Derek was taken aback by the question but eventually consented that he was kind of one and she asked him to pray for Evelynn. We discussed it later and I told him that although it’s not a title we typically use in our church that he could safely consider himself at least right now, certainly, what they would consider a minister.  Interesting to think about.

We parted ways with our friends and after a few unexpected detours across the river, finding ourselves in burned out and abandoned neighborhoods then finally the red light district of East St Louis Illinois, a few quick fly by pictures of the Gateway and an EXHAUSTIVE search for postcards (Seriously who carries them anymore? We need to increase the demand out there people!) we left St Louis headed towards Topeka and more 2^nd cousins!

So on the way there I had “On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe” running through my head.

“Here she comes!  Whoo whoo, whooo whooo whoooo!” J

Along the way across the country we were trying to coordinate things with my cousins who were coming up with these amazing things to do in Kansas City (which of course had “Kansas City! Kansas City here I come…yeah yeah!” going through my head) but in order to do any of them we’d have to delay our progress and we really needed to start making headway towards home if we were going to make it by Saturday night. We settled for meeting them at an ice cream place well past their young kids bed time. We’d kind of promised Hyrum that he’d be able to play with cousins when we thought we’d be meeting at a park or something but when we pulled into a restaurant  he stayed the course and was determined to play like crazy with them, much to our (and surely the restaurant staffs) dismay.  It was fun to see them and really meet them since I’d never met my cousin Adam’s wife and two kids.

We of course had to stop the kids from running around like crazies to get a picture to document that it actually happened.  Car disheveled and all. We kept their kids up way too late but we wished we’d been able to stay longer and visit with them more. Perhaps on another vacation.

We hit the hotel and the boys crashed while Derek went out to the car to do some magic.