Dear Zoo: It's Good to Be Back

After a several-year hiatus, the Huangs returned to the Philadelphia Zoo with a vengeance.  And it was good.

We were members for a few years when the kids were younger.  (Side note: how crazy is it that the kids are old enough for me to use the phrase, "when the kids were younger"?)  We probably went 50 to 60 times back then.  But after awhile, it was time for swim class or ballet or soccer or baseball.

A crowded extra-curricular schedule is overrated.  What's underrated is good old-fashioned family time on a weekend.  (Having a weekend off from teaching helped.) 

It also helped that we splurged for a higher level of membership than we've ever gotten.  This gets us one free ride on everything in the place, and yesterday we capitalized on that by riding the camels, ponies, and swan boats for the first time ever.  (We'll wait for another day to do the zoo balloon, carousel, and lorikeet feeding.)

Of course, Jada was in seventh heaven once we got to the zebras.  Aaron was a little crabby that we didn't get to see the lions.  (A little TLC from his mommy soothed him just fine.)  Amy was looking especially lovely in a summer dress, so I may have snuck in some smooching and hand-holding while the kids were having a run of the place. 

In other words, everyone was happy.  We'll be back for sure a lot over the next 364 for more days at least.